S. Aggarwal, L. Bains, A. Mishra, Aashima Dabas, Madhav Goel, A. Afsar
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 is a severe respiratory infection that spreads through infected droplets. Facemasks have been mandated by the World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control as the cornerstone for preventing the spread of infection among healthcare workers. However, despite the ubiquitous use of masks, many healthcare professionals are unaware of their properties and proper use. Therefore, the study aims to assess the awareness, practices followed, and problems faced in the use of facemasks among medical professionals in a coronavirus disease (COVID)-dedicated hospital. Methodology: An e-questionnaire-based survey was conducted among medical professionals working in a tertiary care (COVID-dedicated) hospital in North India. The questionnaire tested for the knowledge and awareness on properties of facemasks, problems faced on regular or prolonged use, and removal, storage, and disposal practices among professionals. Results: The survey was sent to 368 medical professionals with a response rate of 45.65%. About 43.3% of the participants were aware of the properties of the N95 facemask, and 26% of the health professionals checked for the proper fit of the mask after putting it on. Discomfort and sweat issues were the most common problems reported by 84% and 69.33% of participants, respectively. About 86% of the participants had the knowledge of appropriate removal of the mask, but only one-third were aware of the proper mask disposal practices. Conclusion: Knowledge about the properties of facemasks, their use, and disposal practices among the North Indian healthcare professionals was found to be significantly lower than in western countries; however, the awareness increased with experience in the participants studied (P < 0.001). As it is the young medical force at the forefront to tackle the menace, regular training and accurate information on facemask usage must be disseminated via institutional training programs to prevent the risk of infection and equip the frontline workers to share this knowledge with the community further.
背景:严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2型是一种通过感染飞沫传播的严重呼吸道感染。世界卫生组织(World Health Organization)和美国疾病控制与预防中心(Centers for Disease Control)规定,口罩是预防感染在医护人员之间传播的基石。然而,尽管口罩的使用无处不在,但许多医疗保健专业人员并不知道口罩的特性和正确使用方法。因此,本研究旨在评估冠状病毒疾病(COVID)专科医院医务人员在使用口罩方面的意识、遵循的做法以及面临的问题。方法:在印度北部一家三级保健(专门针对covid - 19的)医院工作的医疗专业人员中进行了一项基于电子问卷的调查。调查问卷测试了专业人员对口罩特性的知识和意识、经常或长期使用口罩所面临的问题以及移除、储存和处置方法。结果:共发送调查问卷368份,回复率为45.65%。约43.3%的参与者知道N95口罩的特性,26%的卫生专业人员戴上口罩后会检查口罩是否合适。不适和出汗问题是最常见的问题,分别有84%和69.33%的参与者报告。大约86%的参与者知道如何摘下口罩,但只有三分之一的人知道如何正确处理口罩。结论:发现北印度卫生保健专业人员对口罩特性、使用和处置方法的了解明显低于西方国家;然而,随着研究参与者的经验增加,意识也随之增加(P < 0.001)。由于年轻的医疗力量站在应对威胁的最前线,必须通过机构培训计划定期培训和传播有关口罩使用的准确信息,以预防感染风险,并使一线工作人员能够进一步与社区分享这些知识。