The Association between Psychological Weakness and Occupational Dermatitis in Healthcare Workers: Bibliographic Review

Abstract

Healthcare personnel is frequently prone to suffer from skin conditions related to constant exposure to irritants such as soaps, sanitizers, and prolonged use of protective gear. Lesions or damage on the skin can cause emotional distress and thus limitations in developing their professional skills consequently compromising their job performance. The main objective of this research was focused on elaborating a bibliographic review based on research papers published from 2015 until May 2022, regarding occupational contact dermatitis in healthcare workers. Methodology: out of 45 initial research papers, 20 were selected which reported values of the prevalence of occupational contact dermatitis in healthcare personnel. Results: the nursing personnel showed a prevalence of 26.4% as the group who most frequently developed contact dermatitis among all healthcare workers, followed by surgeons and cleaning staff. Thus, methods of prevention and treatment were described as well as it was indicated the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic. Conclusion: Despite occupational contact dermatitis being preventable, it represents a predominant skin condition, especially in healthcare workers; for this reason, it is advisable to continue further research regarding this topic in Ecuador.