Skin Health and Safety in Automotive Repair Work: A Cross-sectional Study of PPE Knowledge, Compliance and Skin Health Outcomes
Abstract:
Informal automotive repair workers (ARWs) in low-and-middle-income countries are routinely exposed to occupational hazards. Although personal protective equipment (PPE) can reduce occupational dermatoses (ODs), its use remains inconsistent and the relationship between PPE knowledge, utilization patterns and skin diseases in this workforce is not well understood. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 250 male ARWs aged 18–65 years in Ile-Ife, southwestern Nigeria, to assess PPE-related knowledge, utilization patterns, and their association with ODs, data on PPE awareness, knowledge and utilization were collected through interviewer administered questionnaires and the skin was examined. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify predictors of PPE knowledge, compliance and ODs, the level of statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Participants had a mean age of 40.6 ± 11.6 years, most (62.8%), were mechanical repair and maintenance specialists (MRMS). Although PPE awareness was high (89.2%), only 22.0% demonstrated good knowledge, 33.6% reported consistent use. Age and job specialization independently predicted adequate PPE knowledge (p<0.05), inadequate knowledge was the strongest predictor of poor compliance (aOR = 0.011; 95% CI: 0.002–0.058; p < 0.001). ODs were observed in 54.0% of respondents and job specialization was a significant determinant, with MRMS, body and exterior specialists exhibiting higher odds of ODs compared with electrical and system specialists. Despite high awareness, PPE knowledge and utilization among informal ARWs remain suboptimal, alongside a substantial burden of ODs. Targeted, occupation-specific interventions that strengthen PPE knowledge, accessibility and adherence are urgently needed to reduce preventable skin morbidity in this workforce.References:
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