Epidemiology

Abstract

Contact dermatitis is a common disorder.Epidemiology is a tool to be used for appropriate summary measures to describe how common contact dermatitis is. Epidemiology is also used to analyze whether it is more common in specific groups, and which factors are associated with the occurrence of contact dermatitis (or its subtypes) in specific populations or subgroups. Typical questions are, for example, whether nickel allergy is more common in hairdressers, and whether this contact allergy enhances the risk of occupational contact dermatitis. A classic example is the occurrence of nickel allergy in Danish women [34]. Epidemiologic tools are also used to evaluate the results of interventions in specific populations [7].