A study of physical and emotional effects of PPE among healthcare workers handling COVID 19 patients

Personalprotective equipments (PPE) are an essential requirement for health careworkers in hospitals during rapidly spreading pandemic times of Sars CoV2,Influenza etc. Despite the protective function of the PPE, the effects of wearingthe PPE – on the respiratory microclimate, respiratory functions and theindividual sensations are equally important. Studies have reported subjectivediscomfort feeling, increased humidity and heat perception, increased breathresistance with respirator usages and also affect the wearer’s whole bodythermal sensation, Prolonged hours of using the PPE, may lead tophysiological stress on the wearer, causing headaches and making their regulartasks challenging. These effects might be due to the alterations in therespiratory microenvironment surrounding the masks. Different temperatures andhumidification are induced on the outer and inner sides of the masks owing thedifferences in the permeability of air and water vapour in the type of PPE used. Following prolonged hours of donning the PPE, the physiological functionsof the nasal cavity may change due to different temperature and humidificationconditions within the PPE. Moreover, the frontline health careworkers face a lot of mental stress owing to the unprecedented pandemic. Front-lineHCWs often suffer from anxiety, stress related disorders, insomnia, depression,burnout, etc. The risk of exposure to infection, availability of personalprotective equipment, job-related stress, perceived stigma and psychologicalimpact of the isolation/quarantine and interpersonal distancing, effective riskcommunication to HCWs are some of the common socio-economic factors that play amajor role in the stress response of the HCWs. Existing literature supportsthat pandemic, apart from causing mortality and physical morbidities, alsoleads to tremendous mental health problems in the sufferers as well as in thenoninfected public. Despite the huge magnitude of mental health problems amongthe front-line HCWs, their psychological health is often overlooked.

However,there is lack of studies on the post effects of PPE donning on the physical andmental well-being of the health care workers. With this hypothesis, we aim tostudy the physical effects of PPE donning on the HCWs and their apprehensionsfor the same. The findings will be useful for the development and formulationof guidelines and policies for longer duration of PPE usage