Hospital latex allergy programs in Massachusetts

Details

• Personal Author:
  Tumpowsky C
• Description:
  In this issue we present the results of two recent surveys conducted by the Occupational Health Surveillance Program (OHSP). Previously, OHSP reported that latex is one of the most commonly reported occupational asthma causing agents among Massachusetts workers. To identify the types of measures used to control latex allergies among health care workers, OHSP conducted a survey of Massachusetts's hospitals. In addition, we present the results of the health care professional questionnaire that we sent with the last issue of the Bulletin. Recently OHSP conducted a survey of licensed hospitals in Massachusetts to better understand measures taken to prevent latex allergies among healthcare workers and to identify needs for further information and training about latex allergy prevention. The survey was mailed to infection control practitioners at all 83 acute care hospitals and several chronic care hospitals (n=11) across the state. It included 15 questions regarding hospitals demographics, latex policies and procedures, barriers to creating latex safer environments and needs for further information. The majority of surveyed hospitals (85%) responded. Most hospitals responding to the survey have taken steps to prevent or reduce employee exposures to latex products. The majority of hospitals reported having latex policies or programs in place. Most programs include the provision of non-latex and powder-free latex gloves, education, training and latex allergy surveillance. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Asthma Asthma, Occupational Demography Health Care Facilities Workforce And Services Health Personnel Hypersensitivity Lung Lung Diseases Occupational Diseases Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Personal Protective Equipment Respiratory System Respiratory Tract Diseases Safety Safety Management Surveys And Questionnaires Workplace

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• Keywords:
  Airway-resistance Allergens Allergic-reactions Allergies Bronchial-asthma Control-methods Demographic-characteristics Disease-prevention Employee-exposure Gloves Health-care Health-care-personnel Health-surveys Information-systems Lung-disease Lung-irritants Medical-monitoring Occupational-diseases Occupational-exposure Occupational-health Occupational-respiratory-disease Protective-materials Pulmonary-system-disorders Questionnaires Respiratory-system-disorders Safety-measures Safety-practices Statistical-analysis Surveillance-programs Synthetic-rubbers Work-environment Work-operations Work-practices Workers

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• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Massachusetts ; OSHA Region 1
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-2
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20042724
• Citation:
  SENSOR Occup Lung Dis Bull 2000 Apr; :1-2
• Contact Point Address:
  Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Occupational Health Surveillance Program, 250 Washington Street, 6th Floor, Boston, MA 02108
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2000
• Performing Organization:
  Massachusetts State Department of Public Health
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  19880415
• Source Full Name:
  SENSOR Occupational Lung Disease Bulletin
• End Date:
  20050929
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:017419d24ddd6cf566ba07223d4a3d542f3f7ea2972d27d213a609534ad0888081e1a21ddab350406ebd520846b7948413a5baec6f46f87d728bf9ed5bc5f163
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/194861/cdc_194861_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 126.90 KB ]