• Postgrad Med J · Mar 2022

    Letter

    Impact of enhanced personal protective equipment on the physical and mental well-being of healthcare workers during COVID-19.

    • Ramanathan Swaminathan, Bimantha Perera Mukundadura, and Shashi Prasad.
    • Ear, Nose and Throat Department, Warwick Hospital, Warwick, UK arrassu@hotmail.com.
    • Postgrad Med J. 2022 Mar 1; 98 (1157): 231-233.

    BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated the use of enhanced personal protective equipment (PPE) in healthcare workers in patient-facing roles. We describe the impact on the physical and mental well-being of healthcare professionals who use enhanced PPE consistently.MethodsWe conducted a single-centre, cross-sectional study among healthcare professionals who use enhanced PPE. A web-based questionnaire was disseminated to evaluate the effects on individuals' physical and mental well-being. Physical and mental impact was assessed through a visual analogue scale.ResultsProspective analysis of the views of 72 respondents is reported. 63.9% were women and 36.1% were men. Physical impact included exhaustion, headache, skin changes, breathlessness and a negative impact on vision. Communication difficulties, somnolence, negative impact on overall performance and difficulties in using surgical instrumentation were reported.ConclusionOur study demonstrates the undeniable negative impact on the front-line healthcare workers using enhanced PPE and lays the ground for larger multicentric assessments given for it to potentially be the norm for the foreseeable future.© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.

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