Effects of Use of Personal Protective Equipment on Physical and Mental Health of Health Care Workers: A Mixed-Method Study

Background: Due to the high transmissibility of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) was recommended worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic for health care workers (HCWs). Objectives: The study aims to understand the effects of the use of PPE on the health of HCWs. Materials and Methods: The study was a mixed-method study consisting of two parts, conducted in the year 2019. Initially, 200 HCWs were asked to fill out an online questionnaire enquiring about the effects of PPE on their health. To assess the distress caused by PPE, Kessler Distress Scale was used. In the second part, 20 random participants were interviewed for a subjective understanding of their experience with PPE. Results: Excessive sweating, fatigue, increased thirst, dyspnea, and headache were the most reported symptoms, along with several dermatological symptoms. About 10% of the participants suffered from severe distress. The interviews showed themes involving donning and doffing, physical, psychological, and social well-being, work efficacy, security, and stigma. Conclusion: The scarcity of PPE, prolonged duty hours, and lack of prior training led to various mental and physical ailments among HCWs. These could be tackled by simple preventive strategies, which, if implemented at a broad scale, would help the health care community during similar situations in the future.