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. Assessments included occupational footwear and foot care, self-reported disease course, and health-related quality of life.
Results: Response to follow-ups was >70%. Wearing functional socks and changing footwear and socks during one work shift increased (all p < 0.001). Complaints about occupational footwear decreased, including sweating and exposure to moisture/wetness. More than 60% reported improved FD while quality of life significantly increased. After 12 months, all foot symptoms were less frequent, including itch (p = 0.009), pain when walking (p = 0.005), pain in rest (p = 0.015) and smell (p = 0.001). The programme received very good ratings by the participants.
Conclusions: The intervention was effective in improving occupational footwear, foot care and preventive behaviour. It resulted in a reduced burden of FD and should be implemented in the general care of patients with WRSD.
Keywords: foot eczema; fungal infection; irritant contact dermatitis; occupational; patient education; prevention; safety footwear; sweating.
© 2023 The Authors. Contact Dermatitis published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.