Association of Acne with Face Mask in Healthcare Workers Amidst the COVID-19 Outbreak in Karachi, Pakistan

Exploration of the Changes in Facial Microbiota of Maskne Patients and Healthy Controls Before and After Wearing Masks Using 16 S rRNA Analysis

Whether in the field of medical care, or in people's daily life and health protection, the importance of masks has been paid more and more attention. Acne, the most common complication after wearing masks, which is also called maskne, has been successfully introduced into the common language as a common topic of dermatologist consultations. This study aims to study the changes of microflora in maskne patients and healthy controls before and after wearing masks. In the summer of 2023, we collected a total of 50 samples from 15 maskne patients and 10 healthy controls before and after wearing surgical masks for a long time. 16 S ribosomal DNA sequencing and identification technology with V3-V4 variable region were adopted to explore the microbiome changes caused by mask wearing, analyze the changes in microbial diversity, and make interaction network. LDA effect size analysis was used to identify which bacteria showed significant changes in their relative abundance from phylum to genus. After wearing a mask, the microbiome of the maskne patients changed significantly more than that of the healthy controls, with both α diversity and β diversity lower than those of maskne patients before wearing masks and those of healthy controls after wearing masks. Co-occurrence network analysis showed that compared with other groups, the network of maskne patients after wearing masks for a long time had the lowest connectivity and complexity, but the highest clustering property, while the opposite was true for healthy controls. Many microbes that are potentially beneficial to the skin decreased significantly after wearing a mask. There was almost no difference in healthy controls before and after wearing a mask.

Guarding Our Guardians: Navigating Adverse Reactions in Healthcare Workers Amid Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Usage During COVID-19

The widespread utilization of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the COVID-19 pandemic has been crucial for reducing transmission risk among healthcare workers (HCWs) and the public. However, the extensive use of PPE has brought about potential adverse reactions, particularly among HCWs. This study aims to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of adverse skin reactions associated with PPE use among different categories of HCWs, including faculty, residents, and nursing officers (NOs), in a dedicated tertiary care COVID-19 hospital. The study design was a hospital-based cross-sectional analytical study conducted over one month, involving a total of 240 participants. The participants were required to complete a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire that covered demographic information, PPE-related data, preventive measures, observed reactions, and self-management strategies. Results indicated that adverse skin reactions were common among HCWs, with reactions reported by all participants. The most commonly used PPE included N95 masks, goggles, gloves, face shields, isolation gowns, and medical protective clothing. Excessive sweating (60% residents, 21.1% NOs, and 16.25% faculties), facial rash, dry palms (>70% of HCWs), and itching were among the most prevalent adverse reactions. Urticarial lesions (28.5% among NOs), pressure marks and pain (100% on the cheek among all HCWs), fungal infections (18.5% among residents at the web space of fingers), and skin breakdown were also reported. Factors such as age, gender, pre-existing skin problems, and oily/acne-prone skin history were found to be significantly associated with adverse skin reactions. In conclusion, the findings highlight the common adverse reactions reported by HCWs during the use of different PPEs. Certain steps taken by HCWs for the prevention of adverse reactions due to PPE emphasize the importance of tailored preventive measures and strategies to mitigate these adverse reactions, such as proper PPE selection, well-fitting equipment, regular breaks, and appropriate skincare practices. These insights contribute to the development of guidelines for optimal PPE usage and support the well-being of HCWs in their essential roles.

Facial Dermatoses Associated With Mask-Wearing in the COVID-19 Era: A Nationwide, Cross-Sectional, Multicenter, Questionnaire-based Study

BACKGROUND

Daily usage of facial masks during coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic influenced on facial dermatoses.

OBJECTIVE

This study investigated the impact of mask-wearing habits on facial dermatoses.

METHODS

A nationwide, observational, questionnaire-based survey was conducted from July through August 2021, involving 20 hospitals in Korea.

RESULTS

Among 1,958 facial dermatoses, 75.9% of patients experienced aggravation or development of new-onset facial dermatoses after wearing masks. In aggravated or newly developed acne patients (543 out of 743), associated factors were healthcare provider, female gender, and a long duration of mask-wearing. Irritating symptoms, xerosis, and hyperpigmentation were more frequently observed in this group. Aggravated or newly developed rosacea patients (515 out of 660) were likely to be female, young, and have a long duration of mask-wearing per day. Seborrheic dermatitis patients who experienced aggravation or de novo development (132 out of 184) were younger, and they more frequently involved the chin and jaw in addition to the nasolabial folds and both cheeks. Contact dermatitis patients (132 out of 147) with aggravation or de novo development tended to be female, involve both cheeks, and complain of pruritus. Aggravated or newly developed atopic dermatitis patients (165 out of 224) were more likely to be female, and had a higher baseline investigator global assessment score before mask-wearing.

CONCLUSION

Clinical features and factors related to aggravation were different according to the types of facial dermatoses.

Facial Papulopustular Eruption during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Patients Treated with EGFR Inhibitors

Papulopustular rash (PPR) is the most frequent cutaneous adverse event during treatment with epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors (EGFRis). Although often mild in severity, it can impair patients' quality of life and may also be a reason for discontinuing or changing the dose of the antineoplastic treatment. During COVID-19 pandemics, the use of surgical masks drastically increased and it had an impact on the face skin microenvironment, favoring the worsening of dermatological pathologies. We reported the relapse of PPR in patients treated with EGFR inhibitors who consistently wore face masks (>6 hours/day). All the patients developed the PPR within 6 months of starting mask use. Compared to the PPR occurred previously, after mask use, the skin eruption was more severe and affected mainly those regions of the face which came into contact with the mask. Patients received topical or systemic treatment, obtaining complete response in 65.7% of the cases. The establishment of an early treatment for the PPR allows continuing the oncologic treatment, without any suspension which could result in a decreased oncologic outcome. In conclusion, when using these devices, it is recommended to use special precautions, particularly in oncologic patients, by using a daily prophylactic skincare and replacing masks regularly with regular and frequent breaks.

Effect of COVID-19 and Face Masks on the Condition of Rosacea - A Retrospective Analysis of 87 Patients

Introduction

The pathogenesis of COVID-19 includes systemic immune activation and endothelial dysfunction, which is closely related to the pathogenesis of rosacea. In order to investigate the influence of COVID-19 infection on the condition of rosacea patients, we retrospectively investigated the impact of COVID-19 infection and COVID-19-related masks on rosacea patients.

Methods

We collected the basic information from rosacea patients who had a long-term follow-up at West China Hospital of Sichuan University. Between January 2023 and March 2023, we recruited 87 rosacea patients for this survey.

Results

Our results showed that COVID-19 infection could aggravate the condition of rosacea patients, and the change in the symptoms was not related to fever, temperature, antipyretics use, and vaccination. In addition, we observed a significant association between the type of mask worn by rosacea patients and exacerbation, while the duration of mask usage did not exhibit a similar relationship.

Discussion

Considering the ongoing global utilization of masks due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the possible recurrence of COVID-19 infection, dermatologists should monitor the condition of rosacea patients infected with COVID-19 and adjust the treatment regimens accordingly.

Effects of Mask Reuse on the Oropharyngeal, Skin, and Mask Microbiome

BACKGROUND

Face masks have been critical in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, but supplies were sometimes limited and disposable masks contribute greatly to environmental waste. Studies suggest that filtration capacity is retained with repeated use, and surveys indicate many people reuse surgical masks. However, the impact of mask reuse on the host is understudied.

METHODS

We applied 16S rRNA gene sequencing to investigate the bacterial microbiome of the facial skin and oropharynx of individuals randomized to wearing fresh surgical masks daily versus masks reused for 1 week.

RESULTS

Compared to daily fresh masks, reuse was associated with increased richness (number of taxa) of the skin microbiome and trend towards greater diversity, but no difference in the oropharyngeal microbiome. Used masks had either skin-dominant or oropharynx-dominant bacterial sequences, and reused masks had >100-fold higher bacterial content but no change in composition compared to those used for 1 day.

CONCLUSIONS

One week of mask reuse increased the number of low-abundance taxa on the face but did not impact the upper respiratory microbiome. Thus, face mask reuse has little impact on the host microbiome, although whether minor changes to the skin microbiome might relate to reported skin sequelae of masking (maskne) remains to be determined.

Physical Burden and Perceived Stress of Personal Protective Equipment During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Retrospective Study in the United Arab Emirates

Introduction

Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, personal protective equipment (PPE) has become necessary. According to published research, PPE-related physical impacts were probably underreported during the pandemic.

Objective

To examine the physical burden and perceived stress associated with prolonged PPE wearing among nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Methods

This was a cross-sectional retrospective study of 209 nurses working in two hospitals in the UAE. A convenience sampling technique was applied, and the data were collected using an online questionnaire. Data collection was completed within three months (April 2022 to June 2022). The completed questionnaires were analyzed using SPSS version 21. Chi-square statistics was used to test the association of categorical variables at a 5% level of significance.

Results

A total of 209 nurses had a mean age of 38.4 ± 8.7 years. More than 65.1% wore PPE continuously for 4 hrs per day. The most common physical burdens reported were difficulty in breathing (62.2%), excessive thirst (41.6%), and facial itchiness (39.2%). Most participants (95.2%) reported high-stress levels. There was no significant association between the level of stress and the duration of wearing PPE (p = .43 > .05). However, the authors found a statistically significant association between breathing difficulty with face masks and the duration of wearing them (p < .05). In addition, itchiness/rash related to gloves was significantly associated with wearing duration (p < .05).

Conclusion

Findings show that nurses experienced adverse effects from PPE use, which increased with the number of hours of wearing. Further studies with a larger sample size will allow for generalization of the study results.

The relationship of skin disorders, COVID-19, and the therapeutic potential of ginseng: a review

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has made significant impacts on global public health, including the development of several skin diseases that have arisen primarily as a result of the pandemic. Owing to the widespread expansion of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19), the development of effective treatments for these skin diseases is drawing attention as an important social issue. For many centuries, ginseng and its major active ingredients, ginsenosides and saponins, have been widely regarded as herbal medicines. Further, the anti-viral action of ginseng suggests its potential effectiveness as a therapeutic agent against COVID-19. Thus, the aim of this review was to examine the association of skin lesions with COVID-19 and the effect of ginseng as a therapeutic agent to treat skin diseases induced by COVID-19 infection. We classified COVID-19-related skin disorders into three categories: caused by inflammatory, immune, and complex (both inflammatory and immune) responses and evaluated the evidence for ginseng as a treatment for each category. This review offers comprehensive evidence on the improvement of skin disorders induced by SARS-CoV-2 infection using ginseng and its active constituents.

Body care activities and its consequences related to COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

Symptoms of illnesses related to COVID-19 disease include also dermatological changes. Moreover, modification of cosmetic and hygenic habits are widely noted.

AIM

The aim of this paper is to review the literature focused on skin manifestations related to COVID-19 disease.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In order to obtain information contained in this review article electronic databases, such as Google Scholar and PubMed, was searched. Only peer-reviewed articles published in the past two years have been studied.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

People have changed their cosmetics and hygenic habits, what has an impact on spreading COVID-19 disease, as well as on the beauty industry and human health.

CONCLUSION

More emphasis should be placed on increasing knowledge about skin lesions, which may appear in course of the disease or are associated with changes in hygenic and cosmetics habits.

Maskne-Dermatosis of a Pandemic. A Survey on the Impact of PPE on Facial Skin Among HCW and N-HCW in Poland

Introduction

During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, personal protective equipment (PPE) became the new social norm for preventing COVID-19, but with an impact on the skin barrier. This study aimed to analyze the factors influencing PPE wearing, following hygiene rules, and effect on facial skin, including onset or exacerbation of dermatoses among healthcare workers (HCW) and non-healthcare workers (N-HCW).

Methods

In 2020, an original survey was carried out among 300 N-HCW and 60 HCW with 60 questions about using PPE and skin lesions experienced before and during the pandemic. Cross-sectional statistical analysis was completed to assess the interplay between environmental factors and maskne occurrence.

Results

The N-HCW group included 74% females and 26% males with an average age 24.67 ± 0.74. Among HCW respondents 91.7% were women and 8.3% were men, with an average age of 30.07 ± 0.36. All participants used PPE. Volunteers for N-HCW mainly chose a disposable (53.3%) and reusable masks (37.3%), while HCW preferred surgical (66.7%) and FFP2/FFP3/N95 masks (30%) and almost never used reusable masks (3.3%). HCW mainly spent 5–8 h with PPE, and N-HCW spent 1–4 h with PPE/day. Respondents with dermatological problems before the pandemic were more aware of the maskne and paid more attention to hygiene with PPE. Significantly, HCW experienced more severe facial skin lesions than N-HCW (p < 0.0001). There was statistical significance in following the basic hygienic rules of wearing PPE between both groups, where HCW practiced them more.

Conclusions

Maskne is a current and urgent problem to be cured. HCW should receive help if they develop maskne, such as limited time spent in PPE and treatment of the results of wearing it, as it is the main trigger of developing maskne. In addition, education about the correct use and choice of PPE should be improved.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13555-022-00796-w.

Facial Dermatoses Induced by Face Masks: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies

The use of masks for infection control was common in the COVID‐19 pandemic. As numerous cross‐sectional studies have suggested a link between the use of such masks and various facial dermatoses, a systematic review and meta‐analysis of published studies was conducted to evaluate this association, as well as potential risk factors for the development of such facial dermatoses. Observational studies were searched for in MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Central Register. Thirty‐seven observational studies with a total of 29 557 study participants were identified. This study was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 checklist and quality was assessed via the Newcastle‐Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale., Overall prevalence of facial dermatoses was 55%. Individually, acne, facial dermatitis, itch and pressure injuries were consistently reported as facial dermatoses, with a pooled prevalence of 31%, 24%, 30% and 31%, respectively. Duration of mask‐wear was the most significant risk factor for the development of facial dermatoses (95% CI: 1.31–1.54, p < 0.001). Overall, facial dermatoses associated with mask wear are common, and consist of distinct entities. They are related to duration of use. Appropriate and tailored treatment is important to improve the outcomes for these affected patients.

The development of acne vulgaris due to face masks during the pandemic, risk awareness and attitudes of a group of university students

BACKGROUND

Recent work conducted with healthcare workers and middle-aged populations has recognized the association between acne vulgaris (AV) and mask-wearing.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between the face mask and AV in a group of university students, triggering factors, the awareness, and attitudes of the students.

METHODS

A face-to-face survey was conducted to 200 participants (84 males, 116 females) who composed of third- and fifth-grade medical faculty students. The questionnaire compiled the demographic data, skin care habits, mask-wearing habits, skin lesions developed on their faces with the use of face masks, awareness, and attitudes of the students.

RESULTS

The mean age of the participants was 21.39 ± 1.34 (range, 19-26 years). While 40.5% of the students developed new AV, 20.5% had exacerbation of their old AV. Lesions developed most frequently in the cheek (51%) and chin (45.5%) regions. During the COVID-19 pandemic, being female (p = 0.04), prolonged masks use (p = 0.001), and fewer mask changes throughout the day (p = 0.01) were found to be associated with the development of AV. Moreover, 90.5% of students stated that the face mask could cause the development of AV. The most frequent protective precautions of the students were the intermittent removal of face masks and regular handwashing.

CONCLUSION

The use of face masks triggers the development of AV in young people. Wearing masks over long periods of time without breaks and infrequently changing one's mask throughout the day may lead to the development of new or worsening of AV in young populations.

Adverse Reactions to Facemasks in Health-Care Workers: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Background

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has developed into a worldwide pandemic, which presents several challenges for frontline health-care workers (HCWs). HCWs are highly prone to various skin diseases due to prolonged use of personal protective equipment (PPE). The most frequently used type of PPE is facemasks. To effectively control adverse skin reactions, there is an urgent need for a range of preventive practices.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted at 12 hospitals in Zhejiang province, China. HCWs were invited to participate in the web survey. Data were extracted by two independent reviewers using a predesigned data collection form and analyzed with SPSS 20.0.

Results

A total of 1147 questionnaires were collected, and of these, 1090 (95.03%) were valid and returned. The incidence of chest tightness and shortness of breath and face eczema was significantly higher in HCWs wearing N95 facemasks (41.91%; 31.62%) than in the HCWs wearing medical facemasks (38.05%, P = 0.010; 21.91%, P = 0.012). The incidence of ear pain and indentation was significantly higher in HCWs wearing hang-facemasks (83.81%) than in HCWs wearing strains-facemasks (61.19%, P < 0.001). The incidence of ear pain and indentation was significantly higher in HCWs wearing undiscriminating size code facemasks (79.88%) than in the HCWs wearing discriminating size code facemasks (67.86%, P = 0.031). There was a significant reduction (P  <  0.001) in the incidence of HCWs without adverse reactions (ADRs) with increasing time wearing facemasks.

Conclusion

Incidence of ADRs does not significantly increase with the durations of mask wear where wearing mask time exceeded 4 hours per day. The medical staff generally wore masks for more than 4 hours per day; therefore, we recommend taking 15 min of rest after 2 hours of mask-wearing. Results in this study support the conclusion that the type of strain-facemasks and discriminating size code facemasks has a lower incidence of ADRs than other type of medical facemasks.

An epidemiological study on face masks and acne in a Nigerian population

Background

Acne vulgaris is a skin disorder that affects males and females with significant impact on quality of life. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic led to a series of non-pharmaceutical interventions globally to reduce the spread of the virus particularly since there have been no known cures or definitive treatment for the disease. One key non-pharmaceutical intervention was recommendation on wearing of face masks. There are reports of discomfort associated with wearing face mask including complaints of various skin rashes, acne and headaches which could hinder appropriate use of face masks. While the dermatological problems associated with face mask use have been comprehensively explored in high income countries, the data is sparse in sub-Saharan Africa. We aimed to determine the association between face mask use and development of acne vulgaris in our developing country setting. We subsequently determined risk factors for development of acne vulgaris such as duration of wearing face masks, type of face mask, and prior dermatological skin condition history. We aimed to also determine the potential of acne development secondary to face mask use to reducing predisposition to wearing face masks.

Methods

This was an observational cross-sectional study conducted in within two local government areas of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Trained interviewers administered pre-tested questionnaires to 1316 consecutive consenting adult participants randomly approached for informed consent at various public locations. Information was inputted into MS Excel and analyzed using Epi-info.

Results

A total number of 1316 persons participated in this study with mean age 34.4 ±12.3 years and median age 35.5years. Male: female ratio was 1:1.41. New onset acne or worsening of acne following consistent wearing of face masks was reported by 323 (24.5%) of the 1316 participants in this study. The surgical face mask was the least likely to predispose to acne p<0.05. Compared with the surgical mask, persons using N95 face mask and cloth mask were 1.89 and 1.41 times more likely to have acne respectively. Persons with prior history of acne were more likely to develop new acne or experience worsening of acne following wearing of face mask OR 3.89, 95% CI 2.85, 5.33; p <0.05). The length of time of daily mask wearing was not significantly associated with occurrence of new onset acne or worsening of acne. Persons reporting prior histories of allergy were more likely to develop acne in this study (OR 2.01, 95% CI 1.50, 2.88; p<0.05). In this study, 192 (59.4%) of those who reported having acne following face masks use responded they have a negative predisposition to wearing masks.

Conclusion

Our finding of greater predisposition to development or worsening of acne following consistent use of face masks could have implications for the control strategy of COVID-19. The finding that the N95 face mask was more significantly associated with acne is of concern as this is the preferred face mask in healthcare settings. It is important for the medical community to investigate feasible and safe recommendations to help alleviate this condition.

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

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.

Health care workers' experience of personal protective equipment use and associated adverse effects during the COVID-19 pandemic response in Singapore

Aim

One of the greatest challenges in responding to the COVID‐19 pandemic is preventing staff exposure and infection by ensuring consistent and effective use of personal protective equipment (PPE). This study explored health care workers' experience of prolonged PPE use in clinical practice settings and their concerns regarding PPE supply, effectiveness and training needs.

Design

A descriptive cross‐sectional design was adopted in this study.

Methods

Health care workers (N = 592) from an acute care hospital completed an online survey from July to September 2020 assessing: (i) usage frequencies, side effects and interference with patient care; and (ii) perceptions of access to PPE, likelihood of exposure to infection and adequacy of PPE training.

Results

PPE‐related side effects were reported by 319 (53.8%) participants, the majority being nurses (88.4%) and those working in high‐risk areas such as the emergency department (39.5%), respiratory wards (acute 22.3% and non‐acute 23.8%) and COVID‐19 isolation ward (13.8%). The average time wearing PPE per shift was 6.8 h (SD 0.39). The most commonly reported symptoms were from donning N95 masks and included: pressure injuries (45.5%), mask‐induced acne (40.4%) and burning/pain (24.5%). Some 31.3% expressed that PPE‐related side effects had negatively affected their work. The odds of having PPE‐associated side effects was higher in women (OR 2.10, 95% CI [1.29–03.42], p = .003) and those working in high‐risk wards (OR 3.12, 95% CI [2.17–4.60], p < .001]. Most (90.1%) agreed that PPE supplies were readily available, sufficient for all (86.1%) and there was sufficient training in correct PPE use (93.6%). Only 13.7% of participants reported being ‘highly confident’ of overall PPE protection.

Conclusions

Prevention and management of PPE‐related adverse effects is vital to: preserve the integrity of PPE, improve adherence and minimize viral transmission.

Impact

The high incidence of PPE‐associated pressure injuries and perception that PPE use can interfere with clinical care should inform future development of PPE products, and strategies to better equip health care workers to prevent and manage PPE‐related side effects.

Maskne: The Epidemic within the Pandemic: From Diagnosis to Therapy

Maskne, a newly coined term deriving from the contraction of mask-related acne, is a form of mechanical acne resulting from continuous textile–skin adherence and friction. Prolonged mask use heats up the face environment, thus modifying skin microbiota and sebum production. Although effective prevalence is unknown, since the pandemic began and the prolonged use of masks was extended to the general population, maskne has been a frequent topic of consultation among dermatologists. This term has been successfully introduced into common language, with more than 200,000 hashtags on social media, where it is also possible to find “home remedies” that can worsen this dermatosis. The aim of this paper is to discuss the pathogenesis, address clinicians on the correct differential diagnoses among facial dermatoses, and move towards the correct therapy.

Utilization of a Mobile Multifunctional Workstation for Coronavirus Nasopharyngeal/Oropharyngeal Specimen Collection

Objectives

This study aimed to explore the utilization of a mobile multifunctional workstation for COVID-19 sample collection.

Methods

Twenty-four nurses and 150 individuals who took nucleic acid tests using mobile multifunctional workstations in Beijing Youan Hospital, Capital Medical University, from September to November 2020, were enrolled in the study as the observation group. As the control group, we included 36 nurses and 150 individuals who did not use the workstations from June to September 2020. We compared the two groups on (1) comfort of working environment, self-perceived security, the convenience of information system, operational process flexibility, pharyngeal acquisition visibility, and effectiveness of communication among nurses; and (2) self-perceived safety, waiting time, and overall satisfaction among individuals who took nucleic acid tests.

Results

The satisfaction score of nurses in the observation group of nurses were significantly higher than those of the control group (OR = 17.297 95% CI:4.294, 69.673), as well as the convenience of the information system (OR = 6.250 95% CI: 1.775, 22.008), and communication effectiveness (OR = 5.588 95% CI: 1.590, 19.646). Among individuals who took nucleic acid tests, the overall satisfaction (P < 0.05) and self-perceived security (P < 0.05) had statistical differences between the observation group and the control group.

Conclusions

The mobile multifunctional workstation for specimen collection could improve the comfort of the working environment, the convenience of information systems, and the effectiveness of communication among nurses.It can improve satisfaction and self-perceived security among people who took nucleic acid tests.