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Occupational Medicine Advance Access published online on November 9, 2009
Occupational Medicine, doi:10.1093/occmed/kqp156
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© The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Quality of life in health care workers with latex allergy

Susan Power1, John Gallagher2 and Sarah Meaney3

1 Occupational Health Department, Cork University Hospital, Cork, Ireland
2 Occupational Health Department, Cork University Hospital, Cork, Ireland
3 Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College Cork, College Road, Cork, Ireland

Background Exposure to latex gloves and glove powder makes health care workers (HCWs) particularly susceptible to developing an allergy to latex.

Aims To assess the impact on the quality of life (QOL) of HCWs who are allergic to latex products before removal from latex exposure and after removal from exposure.

Methods We studied 39 latex allergic HCWs from the Health & Safety Executive south area. Twenty-nine attended for an assessment with the occupational physician and were asked to fill out a questionnaire. Spirometry, immunoglobulin E levels and latex radioallergosorbent test levels were measured.

Results In total, 29/39 (74%) of patients responded. All of the participants had a type 1 allergy to latex. All individuals reported a significant improvement of symptoms once latex was removed from their working environment. Of those that reported skin complaints, 83% reported that their skin no longer had an impact on their QOL once latex was removed. Over 90% (n = 26) of all participants stated that their eye/nose symptoms had no longer an impact on their QOL and 86% (n = 25) of all participants stated that their respiratory symptoms had no impact on their QOL following the removal of latex from their working environment. Overall, 45% of the respondents had changed jobs: 61% of this group changed to a completely nonclinical post.

Conclusions On average, 86% of latex allergic HCWs reported that their QOL had improved significantly since their removal from latex. In employees who are latex allergic/sensitized, taking latex avoidance measures results in cessation or diminution of symptoms.

Keywords      Latex allergy; latex gloves sensitization

Correspondence to: Susan Power, Occupational Health Department, Cork University Hospital, Cork, Ireland. e-mail: susanpower32{at}eircom.net


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