Abstract
Work-related dermatoses, in particular hand dermatitis, are still among the most prevalent occupational diseases. There is a vast literature on work-related dermatoses, particularly case reports and investigative clinical studies; their epidemiology, however, has received little attention. Understanding the epidemiology of occupational contact dermatitis (OCD) is essential to determine the etiologie and contributing factors of the disease and to make recommendations for its prevention. Only a few truly epidemiologieal studies of OCD have been published, and most of our knowledge about OCD is derived from clinieal case reports, clinieal studies of groups consisting of in- and out-patients, statistieal compilations of patch test reports, official occupational disease reports based on workers’ compensation agencies and state labor and health departments, or from studies of small outbreaks of skin diseases at the work place. All these data sources have their limitations and must be interpreted carefully. In this chapter the methodological aspects of the available data on the distribution and determinants of OCD will be discussed.
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Diepgen, T.L., Coenraads, P.J. (2004). The Epidemiology of Occupational Contact Dermatitis. In: Kanerva, L., Elsner, P., Wahlberg, J.E., Maibach, H.I. (eds) Condensed Handbook of Occupational Dermatology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-18556-4_1
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