User:Clark3ei/Latex allergy

Latex allergy is uncommon in the general population, at least compared to high-risk groups such as hospital workers and spina bifida patients. Estimates suggest a worldwide prevalence of around 4.3% among the general population. Between 1% and 6% of the general population in the United States has latex allergy; assays of antibody levels in the blood suggest that 2.7 million to 16 million Americans are affected by some form of latex sensitivity. Females are approximately three times as likely as males to have latex allergies. Possible risk factors for the female population include increased employment in high-risk occupations and enhanced histamine release caused by female hormones.

Edits for Epidemiology section

The prevalence of latex allergy is greater in certain populations with increased exposure and has historically been studied in this context. Specifically, regular and prolonged occupational exposure to latex is a known risk factor for the development of an allergy. '''Healthcare workers, dental specialists, food service workers, cosmetologists, rubber industry workers, law enforcement personnel, and painters are among some of the highest-risk occupations.  It is estimated that the worldwide prevalence of latex allergy in healthcare workers is 9.7%-12.4%. Latex allergy became a more common problem in healthcare in the 1980s and 1990s with the adoption of universal precautions, which involved frequent use of latex gloves, with the emergence of HIV/AIDs. The rates of latex allergy dropped to 4-7% in the healthcare setting with the widespread introduction of non-powdered latex gloves.  On December 19, 2016, the FDA officially banned the use of powdered gloves in the US healthcare setting, citing the unnecessary burden of potential injury due to allergy. General latex avoidance protocols have been put into place in healthcare settings in the US and many other developed countries with the switch to nitrile gloves. However, latex exposure in healthcare settings in developing countries from latex gloves or latex components of medical devices such as urinary catheters, dialysis ports, or vial stoppers, remains a significant concern. '''