The effectiveness of a low-chemical, low-protein medical glove to prevent or reduce dermatological problems.

PURPOSE

This study investigated the effectiveness of a low-chemical, low-protein, powder-free latex medical glove to reduce or prevent hand dermatitis in a group of oral healthcare workers who had a self-reported history of hand irritation from medical glove use.

METHODS

Dental hygienists who had previously reported dermatological conditions from routine use of medical gloves were invited to participate in this study to test a new medical glove. All subjects completed baseline information and 85 subjects participated in the study. Subjects wore the gloves routinely for six weeks unless complications developed. Postuse questionnaires were sent to the 85 participants. Dermatological signs and symptoms were measured at both times and subjects' perceptions of change in dermatological conditions were measured postuse. Data were analyzed by frequency distributions, paired t-test, and McNemar's chi-square statistic.

RESULTS

For the 85 participants, the reduction in number of dermatological signs and symptoms was statistically significant (t = 3.46; p = 0.001) from a mean of 2.5 (sd = 2.8) to a mean of 1.3 (sd = 2.6) symptoms. A statistically significantly (chi-square = 7/8; p = 0.005) greater proportion of subjects were symptom-free at postuse (61.2%) than at baseline (41.2%). Almost 90% of the oral healthcare workers perceived that the number of dermatological signs and symptoms, the intensity of signs and symptoms, and the area involved stayed the same or decreased.

CONCLUSIONS

The medical gloves used in this study were effective in reducing the number of dermatological problems associated with routine medical glove use by oral healthcare workers with self-reported histories of problems with medical gloves.