Incidence of skin and respiratory diseases among Danish hairdressing apprentices

Majken H. Foss-Skiftesvik*, Lone Winther, Claus R. Johnsen, Claus Zachariae, Jeanne D. Johansen

*Corresponding author for this work
12 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: Hairdressing is one of the professions with the highest risk of occupational skin and respiratory diseases. The incidence of these diseases in hairdressing apprentices has been studied only sparsely. Objective: To determine the incidence of skin and respiratory diseases in hairdressing apprentices, and to explore whether hairdressing apprentices leave the trade during training because of these diseases. Methods: A 3-year follow-up questionnaire study was conducted among 248 hairdressing apprentices and a control group comprising 816 young adults from the general population. Results: The incidence rate ratios (IRRs) for contact urticaria (IRR 4.7, 95%CI: 2.6–8.6), hand eczema (IRR 1.7, 95%CI: 1.1–2.6) and rhinitis symptoms (IRR 1.6, 95%CI: 1.2–2.2) were significantly increased in the hairdressing apprentices, whereas wheezing was similar between groups. During the follow-up period, 21.8% of the hairdressing apprentices had left the trade, and 70.3% of these had left because of health complaints. The most frequently reported reasons for leaving were musculoskeletal pain (47.4%) and skin diseases (47.4%), followed by respiratory symptoms (23.7%). Conclusions: Hairdressing apprentices are at increased risk for contact urticaria, hand eczema and rhinitis symptoms compared with the general population, and a substantial proportion leave the trade because of these diseases, causing a ‘healthy worker survivor effect.’.

Original languageEnglish
JournalContact Dermatitis
Volume76
Issue number3
Pages (from-to)160-166
ISSN0105-1873
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2017

Keywords

  • contact urticaria
  • epidemiology
  • hairdressing apprentices
  • hand eczema
  • incidence
  • occupational
  • rhinitis symptoms
  • wheezing

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