The efficacy of wearing barrier cream under gloves in health care oroviders

Abstract

regulations has resulted in increased hand skin problems in health care providers (HCPs).2@6 Hand skin problems related to wearing gloves include red, chapped skin; non-specific irritant dermatitis; and allergic reactions to rubber products, cornstarch powder, or production chemicals (inhibitors, accelerators, crosslinkers) in gloves. This experimental longitudinal study examined the effects of an intervention (applying barrier cream before donning gloves) to reduce hand skin problems in glove-wearing HCPS. The hypotheses of this study were: (1) HCPs who wear barrier cream under their gloves will experience a decrease in hand skin problems and (2) HCPs who wear barrier cream under their gloves will report an improvement in perceived skin condition. Using self-report questionnaires, data were collected on demographic information, glove usage, and hand condition. Information on incidence and severity of hand skin problems, perceived hand skin condition, gloving practices, and hand care routines, including use of the barrier cream in the intervention group, was requested every three weeks after enrollment, until the subject had been in the study for a total of twelve weeks. Both the control group (n=34) and intervention group (n=40) showed a statistically significant decrease in the incidence of hand skin problems; however, there were no significant differences between groups. Intervention subjects who completed 12 weeks of the study showed a statistically significant improvement in their perceived hand skin condition, but the improvement in perceived hand skin condition was not statistically significant in the 6 week subjects.