The relationship between sensitization to natural rubber latex (NRL) and work disability was examined among health care workers. A questionnaire was completed by 32 female health care workers diagnosed with NRL allergy and 51 age, sex and occupation matched health care workers without NRL allergy. The Work Ability Index (WAI), based on the physical and mental demands of work and the worker's health status and resources, was used to determine the working capability of the workers. The usefulness of symptoms in screening for NRL allergy was also examined. The median WAI was lower among the latex allergic workers than among the nonsensitized workers. Among latex allergic workers, the mean WAI increased following the exclusion of allergic eczema from the calculations. In the control group, the mean WAI remained unchanged following the exclusion of allergic eczema from the calculations. The median difference between sensitized and nonsensitized workers was 1.0 point greater among workers performing both physically and mentally demanding work than among workers performing mentally demanding work only. Work ability was categorized as poor, moderate, and good in 9, 56, and 34% of the sensitized workers and 2, 45, and 53% of the nonsensitized workers, respectively. Of the sensitized subjects, 44% experienced dry skin, 97% experienced itchy hands, and 56% experienced hand eczema. Of the controls, 25%, 22%, and 8% reported dry skin, itchy hands, and hand eczema, respectively. Symptoms such as watery or itchy eyes, rhinorrhea, and lip edema were reported almost exclusively by sensitized workers. The reporting of at least one skin condition with one mucosal symptom served as a sensitive and specific indicator of NRL allergy. The authors conclude that latex allergy is clearly associated with decreased work ability in health care workers. A self administered questionnaire may be useful for quick latex allergy screening.

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