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Abstract
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A descriptive cross-sectional survey-based study was conducted between November-December 2021 (which is perceived as a second wave of the pandemic) among HCPs in the Czech Republic and Slovakia to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors of their self-reported PPE-related injuries. A validated self-assessment questionnaire (SAQ) was used to collect data and made accessible by a web-based platform through KoBoToolbox (Harvard Humanitarian Initiative. Cambridge, MA, USA, 2021) [12].
Out of 860 responses collected from the target population, 25 non-healthcare professionals were excluded: administrative staff (n = 8) and sanitarians (n = 17). Another 40 responses were excluded, considering their risk of PPE-related injuries was relatively low due to minimal interactions with COVID patients, e.g., psychotherapists (n = 1) and nutrition therapists (n = 1) or by small-sized groups of HCPs (n > 20), e.g., dental hygienists (n = 2) and medical lab technicians (n = 8).
Damages and injuries of the skin related to the usage of PPE are often considered to be mild skin irritations and are therefore often overlooked or downplayed. It is important to note that even minor skin irritations can increase the risk to health care workers. People with irritated skin may experience itch and find the need to remove or make adjustment of their PPE increasing the risk of breaking infection control standards and inadvertently touching their faces [25].
To the best of our knowledge, this is the first theory-based study to examine PPE-related skin injuries in the Czech Republic and Slovakia among healthcare professionals. Our study aimed to shed light on the potential risk factors of PPE-related skin injuries among healthcare professionals and to evaluate various aspects of PPE-related injuries and their impact on daily activities of HCPs. Also, the instrument (SAQ) we used in this study retained substantial psychometric properties
Our study revealed a notable prevalence of complications of PPE use among sample of healthcare professionals. (93.8 % of the participants reported at least one respiratory and face protective equipment complication, 94.1 % of the participants reported at least one complication related to hand protective equipment, 45.8 % of the participants reported at least one complication related to full-body protective equipment).
Language: en |