• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.129-138
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• 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a significant surge in glove usage, as recommended by the World Health Organization. Despite efforts to ensure the quality and safety of gloves, glove-associated skin diseases such as hand dermatitis have become ubiquitous, particularly among health care workers. This review discusses the prevalence, causes, and risk factors of hand dermatitis, as well as research efforts in medical gloves in the past decade to overcome glove-related hand dermatitis. Research papers from 2013 to 2022 were reviewed, selecting only 49 relevant papers from the Ovid, PubMed, and Scopus databases. The average prevalence of hand dermatitis among health care workers increased from 21.08% to 37.24% upon the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The cases are likely due to allergies to latex proteins, rubber additives, and accelerators commonly found in gloves. Using alternatives to latex gloves, such as accelerator-free and latex-free glove options, can help reduce allergy-induced hand dermatitis. Strict hand hygiene practices, such as frequent hand washing and the use of sanitizers, are also contributing factors in contracting hand dermatitis. Over the past decade, glove research advancements have focused mainly on reducing or immobilizing latex proteins. These include the use of biodegradable dialdehyde, sodium alginate, arctigenin, bromelain, papain, UV-LED, prototype photoreactors, and structure-modified nanosilica with silane A174. Two effective hand dermatitis preventive measures, i.e. an additional layer of glove liners and the use of gentle alcohol-based hand sanitizer, were recommended. These advancements represent promising steps towards mitigating hand dermatitis risks associated with glove usage.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.145-151
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• 2014

Background: The physician's hands are close to the X-ray field in C-arm fluoroscopy-guided pain interventions. We prospectively investigated the radiation attenuation of Proguard RR-2 gloves. Methods: In 100 cases, the effective doses (EDs) of two dosimeters without a radiation-reducing glove were collected. EDs from the two dosimeters-one dosimeter wrapped with a glove and the other dosimeter without a glove-were also measured at the side of the table (Group 1, 140 cases) and at a location 20 cm away from the side of the table (Group 2, 120 cases). Mean differences such as age, height, weight, radiation absorbed dose (RAD), exposure time, ED, and ratio of EDs were analyzed. Results: In the EDs of two dosimeters without gloves, there were no significant differences ($39.0{\pm}36.3{\mu}Sv$ vs. $38.8{\pm}36.4{\mu}Sv$) (P = 0.578). The RAD ($192.0{\pm}182.0radcm^2$) in Group 2 was higher than that ($132.3{\pm}103.5radcm^2$) in Group 1 (P = 0.002). The ED ($33.3{\pm}30.9{\mu}Sv$) of the dosimeter without a glove in Group 1 was higher than that ($12.3{\pm}8.8{\mu}Sv$) in Group 2 (P < 0.001). The ED ($24.4{\pm}22.4{\mu}Sv$) of the dosimeter wrapped with a glove in Group 1 was higher than that ($9.2{\pm}6.8{\mu}Sv$) in Group 2 (P < 0.001). No significant differences were noted in the ratio of EDs ($73.5{\pm}6.7%$ vs. $74.2{\pm}9.3%$, P = 0.469) between Group 1 and Group 2. Conclusions: Proguard RR-2 gloves have a radiation attenuation effect of 25.8-26.5%. The radiation attenuation is not significantly different by intensity of scatter radiation or the different RADs of C-arm fluoroscopy.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.99-110
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the puncture incidence of surgical gloves in an operational setting. Methods: The 277 surgical gloves were used collecting at one general hospital located in Seoul from February 1, 2011 to April 3. The data were analyzed by $x^2$ test, Fisher's exact test, and multiple logistic regression. Results: In the dental and orthopedic department, the puncture incidence were significantly higher than others. The time of wearing gloves demonstrated significant difference: The group 181-240 minutes had a significantly higher than those with under 90, 91-180, or over 240 minutes. The influencing factors were as follows. Compared to that of the 2nd assistants, the puncture incidence rates of the surgeons were 9.91 times, scrub nurses were 8.39 times higher respectively. The participants in work experience under 1 year showed a 4.58 times higher than those with over 7 years. In addition, compared to the puncture incidence rate of neurosurgery department, the 17.41 times in cardio-thoracic surgery, 13.89 times in dental surgery, 4.93 times in gynecology, and 4.97 times in orthopedics higher respectively. Conclusion: There is a need for training operational room personnels to occasionally exchange the gloves even during the procedure and to use double surgical gloves.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.593-599
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• 2014

Objectives : Latex gloves hygiene is the most effective method to prevent infection of microorganisms and to reduce the incidence of cross infections. The aim of this study was to compare the bacteria reduction ratio of cleansing with water, liquid soap and alcohol gauze. Methods : The left side glove was the control group and the right side was the experimental group. The experimental group washed hand with water, soap, and alcohol gauze. The hand plate was inoculated by the hand and inoculated for 24 hours in $35^{\circ}C$. Results : Washing with water showed that CFU of control group was 1116.9 and that of experimental group was 302.8. Hand washing by water reduced 74.3% of bacteria. Liquid soap revealed that CFU of control group was 619.9 and that of experimental group was 8.3. Hand washing by liquid soap reduced 97.5% of bacteria. Alcohol gauze included 875.2 CFU in control group and 5.8 CFU in experimental group. Washing by alcohol gauze reduced 99.5% of bacteria. Conclusions : Based on the results, the most effective latex gloves cleansing method was recommended as the standardized hand washing with the liquid hand soap and alcohol gauze. The results can be used to improve training strategies for enhancing glove hygiene practice in dental clinic.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.630-632
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• 2013

Vacuum-assisted wound healing has been proven to be more efficacious than conventional dressings. Vacuum dressing has been frequently modified given the restrictions in resources available. Here we present a modified method of vacuum dressing by using surgical or gynaecological gloves for lower and upper limb wounds. Vacuum dressing was applied with parts of a surgical or gynaecological glove and Opsite with T-tailing of the suction outlet. Vacuum-assisted wound healing using the surgical gloves showed relatively good wound healing in the amputation stump, finger, arm, and leg in the cases studied.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.63-71
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• 2010

Purpose: This study was conducted to evaluate the incidence and risk factors for surgical glove perforation during operation. Methods: During the month of december 2008, a total of 1,400 pairs of surgical gloves used in major operations was collected in a tertiary hospital. All gloves were examined immediately after operation using the standardized water-leak method to detect any perforation. Incidence of the glove perforation was counted according to the type of operation, operation time, the number of involved personnel, perforation sites, and the manufacturing companies. Results: Out of 2,800 gloves examined, 312 perforations were detected comprising 11.1% of samples. In terms of the type of operation, the perforation incidence varied from 5% to 20%, and the perforation rates in CS (20%) and NS (18%) (p<.001) were significantly higher than those in other departments. The 1st assistant or scrub nurse got glove perforation more frequently than the 2nd assistant or operator (p<.001). Longer operation time was associated with higher incidence of perforation evidently (p<.001). In terms of the sites, the thumb and index finger were more frequently perforated than other sites (4.1% and 3.4% respectively) without any differences between left and right side. Conclusion: Risk factors for glove perforation including the department of operation, operation time, participating personnel, and location of perforation should be taken into account to improve surgical safety.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.571-580
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• 2011

Objectives : This study focused on examine the relevance between behavioral changes of customers and re-use intention on medical institution after experiencing infection control through external stimuli. Methods : This research was based on self-standing survey conducted from August to November 2010, 214 people who randomly selected from five dental clinics located in Busan were analyzed as the final group. Collected data were performed using SPSS 12.0 for Window. Results : 1. 82.8% of those surveyed who experienced external stimulation have changed their behavior on hospital environments and facilities, and 80.5% of them answered the stimuli influenced their re-use intention on medical institution. 2. There were no significant differences between participants by general characteristics on 'The reason why medical team wear sanitary appliances'. In age group 30~39, 85.4% of participants chose the answer so the difference were statistically significant(p<.001). Result by household income showed significant difference in group over $1,000 to $2,000 as 82.7% response(p<.05). 3. 94.4% of participants chose 'Required' for both surgical suits and gloves in research of 'The necessity level of personal sanitary appliances' which medical teams wear for treatment and 79.4% agreed that medical teams need to change their medical gloves whenever treating each patients. 4. The survey revealed that the most important appliance in patient's awareness were surgical gloves and protective goggles has chosen as the least important one. Conclusions : Patients as medical consumer were highly noticed of importance of the infection control in dental clinic and necessity of personal sanitary appliances. The patients who has accessed dental infection control information by external stimuli in advance showed objectival changes of their visit and behavioral changes with bringing medical environments together. This aspects influenced those patient's re-use intention in conclusion.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.70-74
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• 2011

Purpose: In the Nuclear Medicine department of Asan Medical Center, radioactive waste has been disposed of by using several disposal boxes designed for nuclear waste. However, some quantity of radioactivity has been detected occasionally due to some radiologists' carelessness not only from radioactive waste, but also from medical waste such as uncontrolled radioactive waste related to patients, poly gloves or saline solution bottles from radiopharmaceuticals laboratory. Thus, this study is going to suggest a solution to maintain the medical wastes made from controlled areas that can be below maximum permissible surface dose limits by finding the cause of radioactive contamination. Materials and methods: This study was taken place in 17 different places-2 medical wastebaskets in the waiting room, 2 medical wastebaskets in the PET room, 5 medical wastebaskets in the in vitro laboratory and 6 medical wastebaskets in the radiopharmaceuticals laboratory of the East building, 2 medical wastebaskets in the waiting room of the New building of Nuclear Medicine Department in Asan Medical Center from April to August 2010. Mean radioactivity and its standard deviation of each place have been found by measuring surface contamination of medical wastebaskets and backgrounds twice a week, totaling 30 times. An independent t-test of SPSS (Ver. 12.0) statistic program has been used for statistical analysis. Swabs, saline solution bottles and poly gloves collected from each place also measured 30 times, respectively. Results: This study analyzed medical waste and the backgrounds of each place by using survey meter detectors that significant differences of five places did not exist, but existed statistically in twelve places (p<0.05). Also, swabs, saline solution bottles and poly gloves collected from each radioactive waste partly exceed the legal dose limit as a result of measuring by a gamma counter. Conclusion: Backgrounds and the surface doses of radioactive disposal box in all 17 places measured by the survey meter did not exceed the legal dose limit; however, it obviously showed that there were prominent differences in 12 places. Assuming that the cause of the differences was swabs, saline solution bottles and gloves, we examined them by gamma counter, and the results showed remarkably high doses of radioactivity. Consequently, swabs and poly gloves which are normally disposed in the general medical waste box should be disposed in the radioactive waste box furnished by radiopharmaceuticals laboratory. Also, saline solution discharged from radioactive pharmaceutical places is considered as radioactive liquid waste so that it should be disposed of by the septic tank specifically designed for radioactive liquid.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.19-27
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• 2007

Purpose: By identifying the actual profile of emergency medical personnel's pre-admission infection control practices, this study intended to provide a basic reference material for the improvement and reorientation of pre-admission infection control measures, and thereby help establish an effective plan for pre-admission infection control activities. Methods: Total 119 EMT's working for Jeollabuk-do Provincial Fire Defense HQ were asked to join a structured questionnaire survey from June to August 2006. Results: 1. It was found that 56.1% respondents answered no guideline available on the prevention of infection. Out of our rescue brigade members who knew about relevant guideline available, 34.2% respondents answered that their department conducted quality control program for the guideline. 2. For protective outfit in emergency practice, it was found that most respondents put on gloves or nothing at all(38%), which was followed by sterile gloves(29.2%), disposable mask(26.9%), gown(4.3%) and protective goggle(1.6%). And it was noted that all respondents(100%) washed out any clothing contaminated with somatic secretion on their own. 3. For a question about any experience in emergency activities exposed to infectious diseases, it was found that most of all respondents(77.9%) answered 'No', which was followed by 'Don't Know'(18.6%) and Yes(3.9 %). 4. For a question about any experience in inquiring of patients about infectious diseases, it was found that most respondents(49.4%) answered 'Yes' and 'Sometimes'(9.1%). It was noted that 20.2% respondents had extra medical examination in medical institution in terms of whether they were exposed to infectious diseases, apart from regular medical examination. Conclusions: In order to protect 119 EMT's from infectious diseases, it will be necessary to acquire emergency medical staffs specializing in infection control and organize corresponding personnel training units to keep providing reorientation and evaluation. In addition, it will be also necessary to supply them with a full set personal protection apparatuses and other equipments required for disinfection and sterilization.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.369-376
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• 2013

Objectives : The objectives of this study is to investigate the handwashing and use of personal protection equipment in dental hygienists and provide the basic data for dental infection control guideline. Methods : A questionnaire survey was performed in the dental hygienists who participated in the continuing education by the Daejeon City Commission in October 2012. The collected data were analyzed using PASW 18.0. Results : Handwashing was well practiced in group working for 3 to 5 years of employment. Those who took the infection cnotrol training used liquid soap, paper towel, dental mask, protective goggles, face shield, and gloves. Conclusions : Infection control is the most important practice in dental hygienists. So it is necessary to emphasize the inportnace of personal protection equipment including medical gloves, dental mask, and goggles.