[Position paper from the "Climate and Sustainability" working group in the German Society for Rehabilitation Sciences].

The "Climate and Sustainability" working group of the German Society for Rehabilitation Sciences was founded in March 2023. The members represent research, practice, and service providers in rehabilitation. The aim is to make rehabilitation in Germany sustainable and to focus on climate protection and the health consequences of climate change.

[Sustainability in occupational dermatology : Starting points, challenges, and potentials for sustainable care of work-related skin diseases].

Sustainability is becoming increasingly important in healthcare and has moved into focus at various levels. This article aims to provide an overview of guiding principles, concepts, and target systems of sustainability and to transfer these to occupational dermatology. Current and future starting points are outlined for various levels, e.

Evaluation of comfort gloves made of semipermeable and textile materials in patients with hand dermatoses: Results of a controlled multicenter intervention study (ProTection II).

Background: Comfort gloves are used in the management of hand dermatoses.

Objectives: To compare the acceptance and tolerability of comfort gloves made of different materials in patients with hand dermatoses and their effects on skin lesions.

Methods: In a prospective multicenter study, 284 patients with hand dermatoses were invited to wear either a cotton glove (COT) or a semipermeable Sympatex glove underneath a cotton glove (SYM/COT) for two subsequent phases of 19 consecutive nights each.

Sun protection in outdoor workers - Development and validation of standardized questionnaires for behavior and knowledge.

Background And Objectives: Outdoor workers are at increased risk of developing non-melanoma skin cancer. We aimed to address the lack of validated German-language measurement instruments for outdoor workers' sun safety behavior and knowledge by compiling and validating two questionnaires.

Participants And Methods: By expert consensus, items for the assessment of protective behavior (OccuSun) were compiled based on existing instruments.

Using Behaviour Change Techniques to characterize patient educational interventions in tertiary individual prevention of work-related skin diseases.

Tertiary Individual Prevention is an interprofessional inpatient rehabilitation programme offered to workers affected by work-related skin diseases. Health educational interventions aiming at changing skin protection behaviour are a pivotal component of the programme. This paper aims at characterizing the content of the educational interventions of the interprofessional inpatient rehabilitation programme and at reporting the mechanisms and functions for behaviour change.

Programme for prevention of foot dermatoses in patients with work-related skin diseases: Follow-up data of a prospective cohort study (OCCUPES).

Background: A programme based on health education has been developed to prevent foot dermatoses (FD) in patients with work-related skin diseases (WRSD).

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of the programme in a prospective cohort study (OCCUPES).

Methods: Six and 12 months after completing the programme, follow-up questionnaires were sent to 231 patients with WRSD and FD.

Programme for prevention of foot dermatoses in patients with work-related skin diseases: Baseline data and first results of a prospective cohort study (OCCUPES).

Background: Programmes for prevention of hand dermatoses in patients with work-related skin diseases (WRSD) are well established. Similar interventions for foot dermatoses (FD) are widely missing.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a programme for prevention of FD based on health education in patients with WRSD while investigating the impact and possible causative factors of FD.

What is the current state of research concerning self-efficacy in exercise behaviour? Protocol for two systematic evidence maps.

Introduction: Knowing about a risk factor is not sufficient to ensure corresponding behaviour as additional psychological factors play a role. Self-efficacy is one of the major factors. This also applies to physical activity and exercise behaviour, which is a major public health topic in both primary and secondary prevention.

Illness Perceptions of Patients with Occupational Skin Diseases in a Healthcare Centre for Tertiary Prevention: A Cross-Sectional Study.

To investigate the illness perceptions of patients with occupational skin diseases (OSDs). Cross-sectional study. Specialised healthcare centre for inpatient and outpatient individual prevention in occupational dermatology in Germany.

Illness perceptions of occupational hand eczema in German patients based on the common-sense model of self-regulation: A qualitative study.

Background: Occupational skin diseases (OSD) in the form of hand eczema (HE) are a common work-related disease. Illness perceptions as presented in Leventhal's Common-Sense Model (CSM) are important for patients' self-management of diseases. Understanding these illness perceptions is essential for patient communicating.

[Patient education in work-related hand eczema : Importance and challenges in health care practice].

Patient education can help patients with work-related hand eczema to cope with their skin disease in an informed and responsible manner and to improve their personal skin protection behavior in everyday working and private life. Skin protection education in centers specialized in occupational dermatology is a pivotal component of outpatient and inpatient individual prevention programs for individuals with work-related skin diseases provided by the statutory accident insurance institutions in Germany. Patient education should be patient-oriented and promote learning, e.

Effects of impermeable and semipermeable glove materials on resolution of inflammation and epidermal barrier impairment after experimental skin irritation.

Background: Semipermeable membranes might be suitable for glove liners or comfort gloves in individuals with irritant contact dermatitis (ICD).

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of different glove materials on inflammation and epidermal barrier impairment after experimental skin irritation.

Methods: Nine test areas on the volar forearms of 24 healthy volunteers were irritated with sodium lauryl sulfate (1%) and afterward covered for 6 days (6 or 8 h/day) with semipermeable Sympatex (SYM), vinyl (OCC), combinations of vinyl with Sympatex (SYM/OCC) or cotton (COT/OCC), or left uncovered (CON).

Effects and acceptance of semipermeable gloves compared to cotton gloves in patients with hand dermatoses: Results of a controlled intervention study.

Background: Semipermeable gloves might be an alternative to cotton gloves in management of hand dermatoses.

Objectives: To compare acceptance and tolerability of gloves made of cotton or a semipermeable Sympatex membrane in patients with hand dermatoses and their effect on skin lesions when worn overnight.

Methods: A total of 199 patients with work-related symmetrical hand dermatoses were asked to wear a cotton glove (COT) on one hand and a Sympatex glove underneath a cotton glove (SYM/COT) on the other hand for 19 consecutive nights.

Evaluation of the secondary and tertiary prevention strategies against occupational contact dermatitis in Germany: A systematic review.

In Germany, a stepwise multidisciplinary approach has been established to prevent occupational skin diseases (OSDs), primarily occupational contact dermatitis. This review aims to perform a systematic evaluation of the short- and long-term effects of the German secondary and tertiary individual prevention programmes (SIP and TIP, respectively) for OSDs. Primary outcomes were continuation of employment, severity of hand dermatitis, and quality of life (QoL).

Acceptance of semipermeable glove liners compared to cotton glove liners in health care workers with work-related skin diseases: Results of a quasi-randomized trial under real workplace conditions.

Background: Glove liners (GLs) made of cotton (COT) are worn under impermeable gloves to prevent occlusion effects. Semipermeable GLs made of Sympatex (SYM) might be an alternative.

Objectives: To evaluate the acceptance of GLs (COT/SYM) in health care workers (HCWs) with work-related skin diseases (WRSDs).

Illness perceptions of adults with eczematous skin diseases: a systematic mixed studies review.

Background: Eczematous skin diseases, e.g., atopic dermatitis or contact dermatitis, are associated with a high disease burden, a significant impact on quality of life and a higher risk for anxiety and depression.

Effectiveness of secondary prevention in metalworkers with work-related skin diseases and comparison with participants of a tertiary prevention program: A prospective cohort study.

Background: In Germany, a multistep approach has been established to prevent work-related skin diseases (WRSDs).

Objectives: To evaluate the effect of a secondary individual prevention program (SIP) in metalworkers with WRSD and to compare their characteristics with those of participants of a tertiary individual prevention program (TIP).

Patients And Methods: In a prospective cohort study, metalworkers with WRSD of the hands participating either in the SIP (n = 114) or in the TIP (n = 83) were recruited.

Secondary prevention of UV-induced skin cancer: development and pilot testing of an educational patient counseling approach for individual sun protection as standard procedure of patient care.

Objective: To outline the development and pilot testing of a patient counseling approach for individual sun protection for patients in outdoor professions diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma or multiple actinic keratosis due to solar UV radiation. This is a secondary prevention measure as part of the standard procedure of patient care by the respective statutory accident insurance.

Methods: Results of guideline-based qualitative interviews with seven outdoor workers and a search of literature formed the basis for the counseling approach, which was compiled in a manual.

Health education decreases incidence of hand eczema in metal work apprentices: Results of a controlled intervention study.

Background: Metal work apprentices (MWAs) frequently develop work-related hand eczema (HE).

Objectives: To evaluate the effect of health education on incidence of work-related HE in MWAs and to assess confounding factors.

Materials/methods: In a prospective controlled intervention study, 131 MWAs received educational training on prevention of HE, whereas 172 MWAs and 118 office work apprentices served as controls.

Outdoor workers' perceptions of skin cancer risk and attitudes to sun-protective measures: A qualitative study.

Objectives: Since January 2015, squamous cell carcinoma or multiple actinic keratosis of the skin caused by natural ultraviolet irradiation (UVR) is recognized as occupational disease in Germany. Interventions which improve the sun protection behavior of outdoor workers are urgently needed. When developing preventive interventions, the attitudes of target groups need to be taken into consideration.

Skin Protection Seminars to Prevent Occupational Skin Diseases: Results of a Prospective Longitudinal Study in Apprentices of High-risk Professions.

Background: Occupational skin diseases (OSDs) are frequent in professions with exposure to skin hazards. Thus, a health educational intervention for apprentices of high-risk professions was conducted. It was the aim of this study to gain insight into possible effects of this intervention.