Personal protective equipment
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is protective clothing, helmets, goggles, or other garments or equipment designed to protect the wearer's body from injury or infection. The hazards addressed by protective equipment include physical, electrical, heat, chemicals, biohazards, and airborne particulate matter. Protective equipment may be worn for job-related occupational safety and health purposes, as well as for sports and other recreational activities. “Protective clothing” is applied to traditional categories of clothing, and “protective gear” applies to items such as pads, guards, shields, or masks, and others. PPE suits can be similar in appearance to a cleanroom suit.
The COVID-19 pandemic led to an unprecedented increase in the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) among medical personnel. The goal of this study was to determine the risk factors and frequency of PPE-induced headaches during the COVID-19 pandemic.
From January 25 to March 1, 2021, an anonymous online survey was undertaken in the Baltic states.
In total, 2132 individuals participated. 52.3% experienced a Personal protective equipment-induced headache. The usual onset time was between 2-3 h, lasting up to 1 h after PPE removal. The most common localization was in temporal and frontal regions. The headache usually occurred 2 to 3 days per week with an average pain score of 5.04 ± 1.80 points. Higher risk was associated with discomfort/pressure OR = 11.55, heat stress OR = 2.228, skin conditions OR = 1.784, long PPE use (duration 10-12 h) OR = 2,18, headache history prior PPE use OR = 1.207. Out of 52.3% of respondents with PPE-induced headaches, 45.5% developed de novo headaches, whereas 54.5% had a headache history. Statistically significant differences of PPE-induced headache between respective groups included severity (4.73 vs 5.29), duration (≥ 6 h 6.7% vs 8.2%), accompanying symptoms (nausea (19.3% vs 25.7%), photophobia (19.1% vs 25.7%), phonophobia (15.8% vs 23.5%), osmophobia (5.3% vs 12.0%)) and painkiller use (43.0% vs 61.7%).
Over half of the medical personnel reported headaches while using PPE. The risk was higher in individuals with headache history, increased duration of PPE use, and discomfort while using PPE. Predisposed individuals reported PPE-induced headache which persisted longer, and was more intense and debilitating than in the respondents with de novo headache 1).
Addressing insufficient PPE access, poor communication from supervisors, and community stigma may improve provider mental well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic 2).
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