Prevalence of dermatological, oral and neurological problems due to face mask use during COVID-19 and its associated factors among the health care workers of Bangladesh

Abstract

Background When caring for COVID-19 patients, using personal protective equipment (PPE) may significantly lower the risk of infection of health care workers (HCWs). However, adverse responses due to PPE use have been observed during the 2003 SARS pandemic. This study will highlight the different adverse reactions caused by face mask use, one of the essential components of PPE in the HCWs, and identify the factors associated with these problems. Methods This cross-sectional survey was conducted between September and October 2021. 404 HCWs were selected by snowball sampling from four randomly selected healthcare facilities of Bangladesh. Trained volunteers collected data by face-to-face interview using a pretested structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using STATA (v.16) and summarized using frequency and relative frequency. Later, the chi-square test was used to explore bivariate relationships, and the binary logistic regression model was fit to identify the predictors. Results The majority of the respondents were 26–36 years (70.30%), male (69.80%), and doctors (74.50%). 48.76% of the respondents had unfavorable skin responses beneath the face masks; female gender, physicians, professionals working more than 32 hours a week, wearing N95, and more than one mask were predictors of skin problem. 28.47% and 60.15% of all participants suffered from some form of oral and neurological problems, respectively. Conclusion Face mask use sequelae, especially skin, oral and neurological problems, are prevalent among health care workers. Therefore, necessary precautionary measures should be taken to safeguard our frontlines.

Bacterial contamination on used face masks among nursing home healthcare personnel

“…This presents an opportunity for face masks to become contaminated with microorganisms and be a vehicle of contamination. 3,4 Unlike before the pandemic, face masks are now worn universally and for long periods of time by healthcare workers (HCWs), 5 which may contribute to contamination. Nursing homes have high rates of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) 6 and low PPE compliance.…”

Important Repercussions of the COVID-19 Pandemic Lifestyle Avoided by Researchers? Face Masks and Temporomandibular Disorders: A Systematic Search and Review

“…There are also multiple reports regarding mask-induced dermatological problems. Acne is the most prevalent problem associated with mask use [23,24,[39][40][41][42], but it can also reduce the general condition of the skin [24,43] or induce itch [25,44,45], which contributes to overall discomfort that exists during mask use [31,46,47]. Face masks can increase transepidermal water loss, as well as skin hydration, erythema, pH, and sebum secretion, which all can contribute to worse skin condition [48].…”

“…The use of face masks was associated with the exacerbation of acne and the appearance of new acne lesions, as well as the deterioration of the general condition of the skin [23,24]. These adverse reactions may result in scratching and touching the mask, which reduces its effectiveness in protecting against virus transmission [25].…”

Percepción de la voz en función del uso de mascarillas por la covid19

“…El uso de la mascarilla ha ocasionado efectos colaterales de diversa índole. Las revisiones sistemáticas y los estudios sobre el impacto de su uso recogen, entre otros, efectos sobre la piel y dolor de cabeza (Chowdhury et al, 2022), o incomodidad en las orejas (Koseoglu et al, 2022). Sin embargo, los efectos que ha producido el uso de las mascarillas en la voz han recibido menor atención por parte de la comunidad científica (Kisielinski et al, 2021).…”