Occupational dermatitis and asthma in New Zealand cleaners

The aims of this project are:

To assess the prevalence of work-related dermatitis in New Zealand cleaners and compare it with a non-exposed reference;
To assess what proportion of work-related dermatitis is new onset or incident dermatitis (as opposed to exacerbation of pre-existing dermatitis;
To assess the severity of work-related dermatitis based on symptom history and expert opinion;
To assess the cleaners' exposure to cleaning agents and the frequency and duration of "wet work";
To assess the associations between cleaning exposures and wet work, and work-related dermatitis;
To assess which factors increase the probability of a favourable prognosis after the diagnosis of occupational dermatitis;
To assess which preventive programmes are likely to be most effective.
To asses the prevalence, risk and determinants of respiratory symptoms in professional cleaners;
To assess how asthma in cleaners compares with asthma in other settings;
To assess the effects of cleaning and cleaning-related exposures on lung function and bronchodilator response in cleaners.

Publications resulting from this study:

Douwes J , Slater T , McLean D , Pearce N , Judd L , Firestone R , Dryson E , Walls C , Foliaki S , Harding E , Duckett H , Cheung K , Coenraads P , Shanthakumar M . Occupational dermatitis in New Zealand cleaners. Study report for the Department of Labour. Centre for Public Health Research, 2012.

Douwes J, Slater T, Shanthakumar M, McLean D, Tupai-Firestone R, Judd L, Pearce N. Determinants of hand dermatitis, urticaria and loss of skin barrier function in professional cleaners in New Zealand. Int J Occup Environ Health, 2017; 23:2.
Brooks C, Slater T, Tupai-Firestone R, Zock J, Pearce N, Douwes J. Respiratory health in professional cleaners: symptoms, lung function, and risk factors. Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 2020; 50(5): 567-576.