Water exposure--challenging differences between occupations.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have compared water exposure between different occupations in the general population. OBJECTIVES: To investigate and compare the extent of occupational water exposure, with a focus on service, healthcare and production occupations previously classified as involving a high risk for hand eczema. METHODS: In two public health surveys (2006 and 2010), a validated question regarding occupational water exposure was answered by 18 342 and 15,736 gainfully employed individuals, respectively. RESULTS: Exposure for ≥ 0.5 h/day was reported by 17.5% and 16.3% (p = 0.020) for the respective years, and exposure for > 2 h/day by 7.8% and 7.7% (p = 0.73). Exposure in women was almost twice as high as in men for both years (p ≤ 0.001) and exposure levels (p < 0.001). Exposure for > 2 h/day was more common in high-risk occupations in service and healthcare than in non-high-risk occupations [prevalence proportion ratios of 16.7 (95%CI: 14.0-20.0) and 8.3 (95%CI: 6.9-9.9), respectively]. Exposure was highest in service occupations, where 44.6% reported exposure for > 2 h/day in 2010, and kitchen work, cleaning and hairdressing dominated. In healthcare, the corresponding figure was 22.0%. CONCLUSIONS: Challenging differences in water exposure between occupational groups were found, and extensive water exposure was reported in a number of occupations previously classified as involving a high risk for hand eczema.

Hand eczema and use of snus (moist snuff) - a population-based study.

A possible association between use of snus (Swedish moist snuff) and hand eczema was studied. 27,466 individuals responded to questions regarding hand eczema, tobacco use and other life style factors in a Swedish Public Health Survey in 2006, response rate 58%. Of these persons, 12.2% reported daily snus use (men 22.0%, women 4.3%), 15.5% daily smoking (men 14.4%, women 16.5%). Of snus users 7.5 % reported hand eczema (men 6.5%, women 11.8%), of smokers 11.7% (men 8.6%, women 13.6%) and of non-tobacco-users 9.7% (men 7.9%, women 11.0%). In multivariate analysis hand eczema was significantly less common in snus users, in total prevalence proportion ratio (PPR) = 0.813, in men PPR = 0.820, but significantly more common in smoking women, PPR = 1.238. Physical exercise was a confounder; gender an effect modifier. No positive association was demonstrated between snus use and hand eczema in contrast to the positive association found between smoking and hand eczema in women.