{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.052980132450331126, 'fraction_numerical': 0.035099337748344374, 'mean_word_length': 4.7018867924528305, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 0, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 0, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
Skin Damages among healthcare workers caused by enhanced infection-control measures during COVID-19 pandemic – A cross-sectional study from Saudi Arabia

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of occupational skin diseases among health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in a general hospital in the center of Saudi Arabia. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from March - May 2021, at King Khaled General Hospital, Al-Majmaah, Saudi Arabia. A self-administered online questionnaire was distributed among healthcare professionals. The questionnaire asked about the severity of skin damage and the frequency or duration of various infection-prevention measures. Results: About 68.2% had newly onset of obvious skin damage while 31.8 % didn't had the skin damages, 21.6% of the new onset of obvious skin damages on fingertips, 46.6% in hands, 22.4% in palms, 3.4% on the face, and 6.0% under the eyes. Around 30% of the symptoms at the damaged site had itching, 44.7% dryness, 12.8% burning/pain, and 12.8% had tenderness. Around 17% of the type of skin lesion was peeling, 28.2% fissure, 18.8% erosion/ulcer, 24.7% redness, 4.7% papule (pimples), and 7.1% were others. Conclusion: Due to heightened preventive measures, frontline doctors are at a higher risk of acquiring skin damage. To address the risk factors and limit skin damage, appropriate measures should be performed. For the best results, persistent instances should be referred to a dermatologist.