To cite: Phaswana SM, Naidoo S. The prevalence of latex sensitisation and allergy and associated risk factors among healthcare workers using hypoallergenic latex gloves at King Edward VIII Hospital, KwaZulu-Natal South Africa: a crosssectional study. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: A tertiary hospital in eThekwini municipality, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.Participants: 600 healthcare workers were randomly selected and 501 (337 exposed and 164 unexposed) participated. Participants who were pregnant, with less than 1 year of work as a healthcare worker and a history of anaphylactic reaction were excluded from the study. Primary and secondary outcome measures:Latex sensitisation and latex allergy were the outcome of interest and they were successfully measured.Results: The prevalence of latex sensitisation and allergy was observed among exposed workers (7.1% and 5.9%) and unexposed workers (3.1% and 1.8%). Work-related allergy symptoms were significantly higher in exposed workers (40.9%, p<0.05). Duration of employment was inversely associated with latex allergy (OR 0.9; 95% CI 0.8 to 0.9). The risk of latex sensitisation (OR 4.2; 95% CI 1.2 to 14.1) and allergy (OR 5.1; 95% CI 1.2 to 21.2) increased with the exclusive use of powder-free latex gloves. A doseresponse relationship was observed for powdered latex gloves (OR 1.1; 95% CI 1.0 to 1.2). Atopy (OR 1.5; 95% CI 0.7 to 3.3 and OR 1.4; 95% CI 0.6 to 3.2) and fruit allergy (OR 2.3; 95% CI 0.8 to 6.7 and OR 3.1; 95% CI 1.1 to 9.2) also increased the risk of latex sensitisation and allergy.

"skill utilisation" and "physician-nurse relation" determined workengagement. Conclusions A slightly higher number of Belgian doctors suffered from burnout compared to previous studies, yet also showed work-engagement. Further analysis on determinants will be conducted as a base for preventive measures and actions to improve work-engagement. 374 NIGHT SHIFT WORK AND PROLACTIN IN NURSES AND MIDWIVES -PRELIMINARY RESULTSA B Bukowska, Peplonska, Sobala. Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Lodz, Poland 10.1136/oemed-2013 Objectives Night shift work and exposure to light at night suppress synthesis of melatonin and disrupt circadian rhythm. The pattern of secretion of many hormones, including prolactin, is dependent on circadian rhythm and prolactin has been found to play a role in breast cancer aetiology. So far, the data on the link between night shift work and prolactin are sparse. The aim of our study was to evaluate the association between rotating night shift work and prolactin concentration in nurses and midwives. Methods The cross-sectional study included 347 nurses and midwives currently working on rotating night shifts and 359 nurses and midwives working during the day. The prolactin concentration was measured in the morning blood samples using the ECLIA method. The associations were estimated by multiple linear regression models adjusted for: age, number of full-term births, current oral contraceptives use and time of blood collection. A potential modification by the menopausal status was analysed.Results No difference in the prolactin concentration was found between the women currently working on night shifts and the day nurses (geometric means (GM): 195.3 mU/ml vs. 194.7 mU/ ml; p = 0.948). In women with 2 or more consecutive night shifts within one week before the blood collection, we observed a statistically significant increase of the prolactin concentration compared to the women who had only one night shift throughout that week (250.2 mU/ml vs. 216.9 mU/ml; p = 0.033). None of the examined associations were modified by the menopausal status. Conclusions The preliminary results of our study suggest that night shift work might modify prolactin secretion. 375 THE PREVALENCE OF LATEX SENSITISATION AND ALLERGY AND ASSOCIATED RISK FACTORS AMONG HEALTHCARE WORKERS USING HYPOALLERGENIC LATEX GLOVES SOUTH AFRICAS M Phaswana, Naidoo. University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban, South Africa 10. 1136/oemed-2013-101717.375 Objectives The present study describes latex sensitisation and allergy prevalences and associated factors among healthcare workers using hypoallergenic latex gloves at King Edward VIII Hospital in KwaZulu-Natal South Africa. Methods A cross sectional survey of randomly selected healthcare workers (n = 501), (337 exposed and 164 unexposed) at King Edward VIII Hospital, South Africa was conducted between 2011 and 2012. Healthcare worker data was collected using a questionnaire and skin prick tests using the Stallergenes kit. Chisquare and Kruskal-Wallis test were used for significance testing...

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What this study addsThis, one of the few such studies from sub-Saharan Africa, focuses on four very low socio-economic communities in a region legally designated as a high pollution area in South Africa, known as the "Vaal Triangle". The study provides critical evidence of exposure-related lagged respiratory effectsboth acute symptoms and acute changes in lung function among a cross section of schoolchildren selected without consideration to their health status. The repeated measures design captures acute effects within the sample over the summer and winter seasons. In this sample, acute dose-related effects at pollutant levels below the WHO Air Quality Guidelines were observed.

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