Hand Eczema Prevalence and Patterns in East Greenland Similar to Nordic and European Trends

A recent study examined the prevalence, severity, and occupational risk factors of hand eczema (HE) in Greenland, revealing significant environmental and lifestyle influences on disease burden. Researchers found that wet work, cold exposure, and smoking were key contributors to hand eczema, with a high proportion of cases being chronic.

The study, published in Contact Dermatitis, sheds light on the unique dermatological challenges faced by the Indigenous Inuit population.¹

Background and Methods

While studies have explored the prevalence of HE in various populations,² little was known about HE in Greenlandic communities before this investigation.

To assess HE prevalence, a cross-sectional, researchers conducted a population-based study in Tasiilaq, the largest town on the country's east coast, from May 4 to 11, 2022. Initial results covering numerous disease states were included in a 2024 report published in the International Journal of Circumpolar Health.³

Adults aged 18 years and older were invited to participate regardless of prior skin disease history, completing interviews to gain insights into sociodemographic data, medical history, and occupational exposures. A clinician then conducted clinical examinations of disease severity and confirmed diagnoses of HE, also making a determination as to whether or not the HE was chronic in nature (longer than 3 months' duration with a minimum 2 occurrences annually).

Findings

The study, which included 295 participants—22.5% of the total adult population—found that HE was the most commonly diagnosed skin condition. Of the participants, 66 individuals (22.4%) were diagnosed with HE, resulting in an estimated population prevalence of 5.0%.

The self-reported lifetime prevalence of physician-diagnosed HE was 20.3%. The median age of those affected was 40 years, with the median age of disease onset at 25 years. Women had a higher prevalence of HE (6.7%) compared to men (3.5%).

The study also highlighted several key risk factors for HE. Notably, 97% of participants with HE were of Inuit descent.

In terms of severity, the Hand Eczema Severity Index (HECSI) revealed that most cases were classified as mild (53.7%) or moderate (27.8%), while 18.5% of participants had severe HE. No cases of very severe HE (HECSI ≥117) were reported.

The chronic nature of the condition was evident, with 88.9% of cases meeting the criteria for chronic hand eczema. Additionally, 61.1% of participants had sought medical care within the past year for their condition.

Occupational exposure was a significant contributing factor to the development of HE, with 57.4% of participants identifying wet work such as cleaning, fishing, or cooking, as a primary trigger. Cold environment exposure was also a noted aggravating factor, reported by 16.7% of participants.

Conclusions

The study highlights the high prevalence and chronic nature of HE in Greenland, with occupational and environmental factors playing a significant role.

According to researchers, these findings underscore the need for occupational health policies to reduce wet work and cold exposure risks, increased awareness of HE and its early symptoms in high-risk groups, and further studies to explore genetic predispositions in Arctic populations.

"This was the first study to investigate the point prevalence and severity of HE in the adult Greenlandic population and, to our knowledge, in any Inuit population," wrote study authors Haulrig et al. "HE is common in adults living in East Greenland and is at least as prevalent as in Europe and Nordic countries. The severity and distribution of HE, in relation to age, sex, and occupation, were comparable to findings from other studies."

References

1. Haulrig MB, Andersson AM, Maul J-T, et al. The prevalence and severity of hand eczema among adults in Tasiilaq, East Greenland. Contact Dermatitis. Published March 5, 2025. doi:10.1111/cod.14781
2. Weidinger S, Novak N. Hand eczema. The Lancet. Volume 404, Issue 10470, 2476 - 2486
3. Haulrig MB, Andersson AM, Maul JT, et al., Skin diseases among adults in Tasiilaq, East Greenland. Int J Circumpolar Health. 83, no. 1 Epub 2024 Oct 3 (2024): 2412378, https://doi.org/10.1080/22423982.2024.2412378