Economic burden of dermatitis in US workers [corrected].

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the economic burden associated with dermatitis in those aged 16 to 65 years and working in seven industry sectors (DW). METHODS: The 2004 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey and the cost-of-illness method, which aggregates health care costs and productivity losses, were used. RESULTS: The economic burden of DW was ~$1.2 billion, representing 10.5% of the cost of all skin diseases and disorders (SDD). In all private industry (ie, the sum of the seven sectors examined), cost per employed person was ~$11 for DW and $109 for SDD. In the all-services sector, one of the seven examined, cost per employed person was ~$15 for DW and $113 for SDD. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides the first published estimate of the economic burden of DW, based on a representative sample of the US population.

Variation in the WBC differential count and other factors associated with reporting of herpes labialis: a population-based study of adults.

Reactivation of latent herpes virus has been linked to triggers of mild immunosupression, such as stress or UV-exposure. Despite having predictive value in severe immunodeficiency, the white blood cell (WBC) differential count has not been examined in relation to risk of herpes reactivation in population studies. The WBC differential count and other risk factors for herpes labialis were examined in 5687 adults (ages 18-64) from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, who had WBC 3.5-11 x 10(6) cells mL(-1) and reported no acute infections in the past month. The association between self-reported herpes labialis in the past year and the WBC differential count was modeled, adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, smoking, upper respiratory infections (URI), and HSV-1 antibodies. Herpes labialis was significantly associated with white race/ethnicity, being a nonsmoker, and frequent URI. Compared with the highest quartile, being in the lowest quartile of granulocytes was associated with herpes labialis, adjusted odds ratio=1.82 (95% confidence interval 1.20, 2.28). At the same time, there was a trend towards an inverse association of lower lymphocyte count and herpes labialis. These findings suggest that moderate differences in the WBC differential count are related to reactivation of HSV-1. Prospective studies may help to show whether such differences indicate susceptibility to loss of latency or represent a consequence of reactivated infection.

Work, obesity, and occupational safety and health.

There is increasing evidence that obesity and overweight may be related, in part, to adverse work conditions. In particular, the risk of obesity may increase in high-demand, low-control work environments, and for those who work long hours. In addition, obesity may modify the risk for vibration-induced injury and certain occupational musculoskeletal disorders. We hypothesized that obesity may also be a co-risk factor for the development of occupational asthma and cardiovascular disease that and it may modify the worker's response to occupational stress, immune response to chemical exposures, and risk of disease from occupational neurotoxins. We developed 5 conceptual models of the interrelationship of work, obesity, and occupational safety and health and highlighted the ethical, legal, and social issues related to fuller consideration of obesity's role in occupational health and safety.