Water exposure on the hands in adolescents: A report from the BAMSE cohort

Abstract

Water exposure on the skin of the hands has previously been studied in adults. The aim of this study was to investigate self-reported water exposure in adolescents in the BAMSE cohort in Stockholm, Sweden. A questionnaire including a question on daily water exposure on the hands was answered by 3,091 adolescents at age 16 years. Exposure >10 times/day was reported by 28.7% and >20 times/day by 3.1%; boys had somewhat higher exposure than girls (p=0.03). In a multivariate analysis, adolescents with dry skin reported higher exposure (adjusted odds ratio (ORadj) 1.4; 95% CI 1.2–1.7), while no statistically significant exposure differences were found in relation to hand eczema or atopic dermatitis. Reported exposure may be considered as baseline exposure during a period of life with limited occupational and domestic duties.