8291331 Prevalence of self-reported skin symptoms among batik workers in Indonesia

<h3>Objective</h3> Batik, recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, is produced using hazardous chemicals, exposing workers to potential health and safety risks. This study investigates the prevalence of self-reported skin symptoms among Indonesian batik workers. <h3>Material and Methods</h3> A cross-sectional study of batik workers (home-based and workshop-based) and batik sellers was undertaken in Central Java, Indonesia. Data on demographics, working conditions, and self-reported skin symptoms were collected using a questionnaire adapted from the Nordic Occupational Skin Questionnaire (NOSQ)-Short. Binary logistic regression analysed skin symptoms among workers. <h3>Results</h3> This study recruited 276 batik workers (91 home-based, 90 workshop-based, and 95 sellers). Home-based batik workers were 100% female, workshop-based workers were 90% male and 10% female, and batik sellers were 10.5% male and 89.5% female. The mean age was 51 for home-based workers, 34 for workshop-based workers, and 43 for batik sellers. Among 46 participants with skin symptoms, 52.2% had at least one, 41.3% had two, and 6.5% had three. Hand eczema prevalence among home-based, workshop-based, and batik sellers was 19.8%, 20%, and 1.1%, respectively. Wrist/forearm eczema prevalence was 12.1%, 17.8%, and 0%, while atopic dermatitis-like symptoms were 1.1%, 4.4%, and 2.1%. After adjusting for confounders (age, BMI, smoking, education, and work experience), home-based batik workers were 11 times more likely to develop skin symptoms than sellers (95% CI: 2.6-47.4). The workshop-based batik workers were 6 times more likely to develop skin symptoms than batik sellers (95%CI: 1.4-26.8). <h3>Conclusion</h3> Skin symptoms are common among batik workers, particularly home-based ones, highlighting the need for intervention to minimise health risks. <h3>Funding</h3> This study is funded by LPDP RI (Indonesian Endowment Fund for Education) and Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology of Republic Indonesia.