Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study is to investigate the epidemiological characteristics and influencing factors of hand eczema (HE) among nursing staff in certain regions of Xinjiang during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Nursing staff from one tertiary hospital, one secondary hospital, and 15 community hospitals in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region were selected as subjects. Clinical data of all participants were collected using paper questionnaires from November 2022 to March 2023, and the incidence and influencing factors of HE were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 218 (26.3%) cases of HE were identified. The incidence in surgical departments (30.6%) was higher than that in non-surgical departments (24.1%, χ(2) = 3.951, p = 0.047). The incidence in the 20-30 age group (22.2%) was lower than that in the 31-40 age group (30.7%, χ(2) = 6.57, p = 0.01) and the 51-60 age group (39.3%, χ(2) = 4.29, p = 0.04). The incidence was significantly lower in the group with hand cleaning frequency of 0-5 times per day (12.1%) compared to the groups with 6-10 times per day (26.3%, χ(2) = 5.095, p = 0.024), 11-20 times per day (25.9%, χ(2) = 5.157, p = 0.023), and >20 times per day (29.9%, χ(2) = 7.745, p = 0.005). Similarly, the incidence increased with the frequency of soap/hand sanitizer exposure. The incidence was lower in the group using moisturizer more than 10 times per day (15.5%) compared to those using it 3-5 times per day (27.0%, χ(2) = 5.786, p = 0.016) and less than three times per day (36.3%, χ(2) = 16.344, p < 0.001). No significant differences in HE incidence were found among groups divided based on the frequency of daily contact with alcohol-based hand rub or the duration of rubber glove use (p > 0.05). The incidence of allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, asthma, metal allergy, and dry skin was higher in the HE group than in the non-HE group (p < 0.05). Logistic regression analyses showed that age, years of working experience, presence of allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, metal allergy, daily handwashing frequency, and frequency of contacting soap/hand sanitizer were risk factors for developing HE, while moisturizer use was a protective factor. CONCLUSION: The incidence of HE among nursing staff during the COVID-19 pandemic was relatively high and was associated with hand hygiene practices and the patients' atopic constitution. Enhanced skin care and health education should be implemented to reduce the occurrence of HE.