Work-related Allergy in Medical Doctors - atopy, exposure to domestic animals, eczema induced by common chemicals and membership of the surgical profession as potential risk factors -

Kanayama, Hitomi

Wednesday, March 21, 2012: 15:15

Costa Maya 5 (Cancun Center)

Hitomi Kanayama, Environmental Health, School Of Medicine, University Of Fukui, Toyama, Japan

Kazuhiro Sato, Environmental Health, School of Medicine, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Japan

Yukinori Kusaka, Department of Environmental Health, University Of Fukui School Of Medicine, Eiheiji, Japan

Tomio Mori, Public Health and Environmental Science, Fukui Prefectural Institute, Fukui, Japan

Takayoshi Hirai, Environmental Health, School of Medicine, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Japan

Tomohiro Umemura, Environmental Health, School of Medicine, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Japan

Taro Tamura, Department of Environmental Health, University Of Fukui School Of Medicine, Eiheiji, Japan

Toshiko Ido, Dermatology, School of Medicine, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Japan

Masanobu Kumakiri, Dermatology, School of Medicine, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Japan

Handouts

ICOH 2012 handout_Hitomi Kanayama.pdf (871.4 kB)

Introduction
Work-related allergy is one of the important occupational health problems among healthcare workers. Decline of work efficiency and QOL caused by work-related allergies is not only a personal problem but can also contribute a substantially to loss of human resources for community health. The present study aimed to investigate predictive risk factors for work-related allergy-like symptoms in medical doctors.

Methods
Self-administered questionnaire survey and CAP test were conducted among medical school students in the 4th grade of their 6 year medical course in 1993-1996 and 1999-2001. Follow-up questionnaires were sent in 2004 to the graduates. These questionnaires enquired into personal and family history of allergic diseases, life-style, history of allergy-like symptoms including work-relatedness and occupational history as medical doctors. Relationship between allergy-like symptoms and relevant factors were evaluated by multivariate logistic regression analysis.

Results
Of 261 respondents at the follow-up survey, 139 (53.3%) and 54 (20.7%) had a history of any allergy-like symptoms and any work-related allergy-like symptoms respectively. Female gender and family history of allergic diseases were significantly associated with any allergy-like symptoms. Personal history of allergic disease, exposure to domestic animals, eczema caused by rubber gloves, metallic accessories or cosmetics during schooling days, and membership of the surgical profession were significant risk factors for work-related allergy-like symptoms.

Discussion
This was a questionnaire-based study. Since the findings can be perceived to be advantageously to the study population, the quality of answers in terms of accuracy was expected to be uniformly higher than general population. Personal history of atopy and eczema induced by common goods, and the history of keeping domestic animals may be predictors of work-related allergy-like symptoms in doctors. After graduation, physicians start with exposure to various allergens and irritants at work, which relate to work-related allergy-like symptoms, especially for surgeons.

A1284 Work-related Allergy in Medical Doctors - atopy, exposure to domestic animals, eczema induced by common chemicals and membership of the surgical profession as potential risk factors -