Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Respiratory Division, Toronto Western Hospital, UHN, Toronto, ON, Canada.
J Asthma. 2022 Apr;59(4):673-681. doi: 10.1080/02770903.2021.1871740. Epub 2021 Jan 25.
Healthcare workers have an increased risk of respiratory symptoms and dermatitis, likely related to cleaning/disinfecting agents. The aim of this study was to identify work tasks and cleaning/disinfecting agents associated with respiratory symptoms and hand dermatitis among healthcare workers in a tertiary hospital.
Cleaning agent usage, respiratory symptoms and skin symptoms were recorded by participants using a questionnaire in a cross-sectional study. Age and sex adjusted odds ratios (OR) were used to examine associations between job tasks, exposures, respiratory, and skin outcomes.
Two hundred and thirty healthcare workers who were exposed to cleaning agents were compared with 77 who had no, or minimal, exposure. Exposed workers had an increased risk of respiratory symptoms (adjusted OR = 2.17; 95% CI: 1.18-4.14) and skin symptoms (adjusted OR = 1.77; 95% CI: 1.00 - 3.17). Washing instruments manually, using aerosol products, cleaning operating rooms, cleaning sanitary rooms, preparing disinfectants, and filling devices with cleaning products were cleaning tasks associated with various respiratory symptoms. Bleach was the only cleaning agent associated with a respiratory symptom: tightness in the chest (unadjusted OR = 2.46; 95% CI: 1.01-6.89) but statistical significance did not persist after adjustment for age and sex. Hand dermatitis was associated with actual disinfecting tasks (adjusted OR = 2.19; 95% CI: 1.10-4.66). Bleach was the only cleaning agent significantly associated with hand dermatitis (adjusted OR = 2.54; 95% CI: 1.32-5.13).
This study provides insight into possible work tasks that need interventions to reduce or prevent respiratory and skin symptoms in healthcare workers.
医护人员发生呼吸道症状和皮炎的风险增加，这可能与清洁/消毒剂有关。本研究旨在确定与三级医院医护人员呼吸道症状和手部皮炎相关的工作任务和清洁/消毒剂。
在一项横断面研究中，参与者使用问卷记录清洁剂的使用情况、呼吸道症状和皮肤症状。使用年龄和性别调整的比值比（OR）来检查工作任务、暴露、呼吸道和皮肤结果之间的关联。
共比较了 230 名接触清洁剂的医护人员和 77 名无接触或接触极少的医护人员。暴露组的呼吸道症状（调整后的 OR=2.17；95%CI：1.18-4.14）和皮肤症状（调整后的 OR=1.77；95%CI：1.00-3.17）的风险增加。手动清洗仪器、使用气溶胶产品、清洁手术室、清洁卫生间、配制消毒剂以及用清洁剂填充设备等清洁工作与各种呼吸道症状有关。仅漂白剂与呼吸道症状（胸部紧迫感）有关：调整后的 OR=2.46；95%CI：1.01-6.89），但在调整年龄和性别后，统计学意义不再显著。手部皮炎与实际的消毒任务有关（调整后的 OR=2.19；95%CI：1.10-4.66）。仅漂白剂与手部皮炎显著相关（调整后的 OR=2.54；95%CI：1.32-5.13）。
本研究为可能需要干预以减少或预防医护人员呼吸道和皮肤症状的工作任务提供了一些见解。
