Epidemiology of dermatitis among California farm workers.
Authors
Gamsky-TE; McCurdy-SA; Wiggins-P; Samuels-SJ; Berman-B; Shenker-MB
Source
J Occup Med 1992 Mar; 34(3):304-310
Abstract
The prevalence of dermatitis in the farm worker population in California was determined, and associated risk factors were investigated. To evaluate crop specific dermatitis risks, the study focused on 759 grape, citrus, and tomato workers in California's Central Valley region. The prevalence of contact dermatitis was 2% and lichenified hand dermatitis was 13%. Grape workers were more likely to report rashes in the last 12 months than were tomato workers or citrus workers. Grape workers were more likely to have contact dermatitis and lichenified hand dermatitis than were citrus or tomato workers. Factors associated with lichenified hand dermatitis were increasing hours per week in agriculture, being of the male sex, and not wearing gloves. While no measurements were taken of exposures such as foliar contact in this study, grape working is a labor intensive occupation requiring extensive physical contact with plants and plant products. The authors concluded that skin disease in agricultural workers may be causally associated with crop specific exposures and the nonuse of protective equipment.
Keywords
Agricultural-industry; Skin-exposure; Allergic-reactions; Allergic-dermatitis; Gloves; Hand-protection; Personal-protective-equipment; Risk-factors; Plant-substances; Skin-disorders
Document Type
Journal Article
Funding Type
Cooperative Agreement
Identifying No.
Cooperative-Agreement-Number-U07-CCU-906162
Source Name
Journal of Occupational Medicine
Performing Organization
University of California - Davis
