Occupational hand dermatitis among health care workers

Hand dermatitis (HD) represents one of the most common manifestations of occupational skin disease among health care workers (HCW). Occupational HD usually has a poor prognosis with considerable socioeconomic impact for the individual and their workplace. Contact dermatitis (both irritant and allergic) is a common cause of HD in HCW. Several intrinsic and extrinsic factors may put HCW at a higher risk of occupational HD. Among them, latex glove allergy has been well-described among several health professions. Accurate diagnosis of occupational HD, through further investigation, is necessary to help reduce its often chronic course and help address risk factors. There are currently no evidence-based guidelines for the treatment of HD, and the success of various treatment regimes appears to be highly variable. Although difficult to implement in practice, the prevention of occupational HD is paramount, and a variety of prevention strategies may be employed to reduce the prevalence of HD amongst HCW