Retrospective evaluation of factors affecting successful fit testing of respiratory protective equipment during the early phase of COVID-19
Objectives Respiratory protective equipment is critical to protect healthcare workers from COVID-19 infection, which includes filtering facepiece respirators (FFP3). There are reports of fitting issues within healthcare workers, although the factors affecting fitting outcomes are largely unknown. Th...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMJ Publishing Group
2023-05-01
|
| Series: | BMJ Open |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/13/5/e065068.full |
| _version_ | 1797819984447012864 |
|---|---|
| author | Dankmar Böhning Jane Robinson Peter Worsley Sumeshni Tranka Silvia Caggiari Dan Bader Zoe Packman |
| author_facet | Dankmar Böhning Jane Robinson Peter Worsley Sumeshni Tranka Silvia Caggiari Dan Bader Zoe Packman |
| author_sort | Dankmar Böhning |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives Respiratory protective equipment is critical to protect healthcare workers from COVID-19 infection, which includes filtering facepiece respirators (FFP3). There are reports of fitting issues within healthcare workers, although the factors affecting fitting outcomes are largely unknown. This study aimed to evaluate factors affecting respirator fitting outcomes.Design This is a retrospective evaluation study. We conducted a secondary analysis of a national database of fit testing outcomes in England between July and August 2020.Settings The study involves National Health Service (NHS) hospitals in England.Participants A total of 9592 observations regarding fit test outcomes from 5604 healthcare workers were included in the analysis.Intervention Fit testing of FFP3 on a cohort of healthcare workers in England, working in the NHS.Primary and secondary outcome measures Primary outcome measure was the fit testing result, that is, pass or fail with a specific respirator. Key demographics, including age, gender, ethnicity and face measurements of 5604 healthcare workers, were used to compare fitting outcomes.Results A total of 9592 observations from 5604 healthcare workers were included in the analysis. A mixed-effects logistic regression model was used to determine the factors which affected fit testing outcome. Results showed that males experienced a significantly (p<0.05) higher fit test success than females (OR 1.51; 95% CI 1.27 to 1.81). Those with non-white ethnicities demonstrated significantly lower odds of successful respirator fitting; black (OR 0.65; 95% CI 0.51 to 0.83), Asian (OR 0.62; 95% CI 0.52 to 0.74) and mixed (OR 0.60; 95% CI 0.45 to 0.79.Conclusion During the early phase of COVID-19, females and non-white ethnicities were less likely to have a successful respirator fitting. Further research is needed to design new respirators which provide equal opportunity for comfortable, effective fitting of these devices. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T09:30:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-daf90eb5b92e4e40bf480b0335ef75ad |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2044-6055 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T09:30:38Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Open |
| spelling | doaj.art-daf90eb5b92e4e40bf480b0335ef75ad2023-05-26T02:30:06ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552023-05-0113510.1136/bmjopen-2022-065068Retrospective evaluation of factors affecting successful fit testing of respiratory protective equipment during the early phase of COVID-19Dankmar Böhning0Jane Robinson1Peter Worsley2Sumeshni Tranka3Silvia Caggiari4Dan Bader5Zoe Packman6Southampton Statistical Sciences Research Institute, University of Southampton, Southampton, UKresearch assistantSchool of Health Sciences, Faculty of Environmental & Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UKWelsh Government, Cardiff, UKSchool of Health Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UKSchool of Health Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UKNHS England and NHS Improvement, London, UKObjectives Respiratory protective equipment is critical to protect healthcare workers from COVID-19 infection, which includes filtering facepiece respirators (FFP3). There are reports of fitting issues within healthcare workers, although the factors affecting fitting outcomes are largely unknown. This study aimed to evaluate factors affecting respirator fitting outcomes.Design This is a retrospective evaluation study. We conducted a secondary analysis of a national database of fit testing outcomes in England between July and August 2020.Settings The study involves National Health Service (NHS) hospitals in England.Participants A total of 9592 observations regarding fit test outcomes from 5604 healthcare workers were included in the analysis.Intervention Fit testing of FFP3 on a cohort of healthcare workers in England, working in the NHS.Primary and secondary outcome measures Primary outcome measure was the fit testing result, that is, pass or fail with a specific respirator. Key demographics, including age, gender, ethnicity and face measurements of 5604 healthcare workers, were used to compare fitting outcomes.Results A total of 9592 observations from 5604 healthcare workers were included in the analysis. A mixed-effects logistic regression model was used to determine the factors which affected fit testing outcome. Results showed that males experienced a significantly (p<0.05) higher fit test success than females (OR 1.51; 95% CI 1.27 to 1.81). Those with non-white ethnicities demonstrated significantly lower odds of successful respirator fitting; black (OR 0.65; 95% CI 0.51 to 0.83), Asian (OR 0.62; 95% CI 0.52 to 0.74) and mixed (OR 0.60; 95% CI 0.45 to 0.79.Conclusion During the early phase of COVID-19, females and non-white ethnicities were less likely to have a successful respirator fitting. Further research is needed to design new respirators which provide equal opportunity for comfortable, effective fitting of these devices.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/13/5/e065068.full |
| spellingShingle | Dankmar Böhning Jane Robinson Peter Worsley Sumeshni Tranka Silvia Caggiari Dan Bader Zoe Packman Retrospective evaluation of factors affecting successful fit testing of respiratory protective equipment during the early phase of COVID-19 BMJ Open |
| title | Retrospective evaluation of factors affecting successful fit testing of respiratory protective equipment during the early phase of COVID-19 |
| title_full | Retrospective evaluation of factors affecting successful fit testing of respiratory protective equipment during the early phase of COVID-19 |
| title_fullStr | Retrospective evaluation of factors affecting successful fit testing of respiratory protective equipment during the early phase of COVID-19 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Retrospective evaluation of factors affecting successful fit testing of respiratory protective equipment during the early phase of COVID-19 |
| title_short | Retrospective evaluation of factors affecting successful fit testing of respiratory protective equipment during the early phase of COVID-19 |
| title_sort | retrospective evaluation of factors affecting successful fit testing of respiratory protective equipment during the early phase of covid 19 |
| url | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/13/5/e065068.full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT dankmarbohning retrospectiveevaluationoffactorsaffectingsuccessfulfittestingofrespiratoryprotectiveequipmentduringtheearlyphaseofcovid19 AT janerobinson retrospectiveevaluationoffactorsaffectingsuccessfulfittestingofrespiratoryprotectiveequipmentduringtheearlyphaseofcovid19 AT peterworsley retrospectiveevaluationoffactorsaffectingsuccessfulfittestingofrespiratoryprotectiveequipmentduringtheearlyphaseofcovid19 AT sumeshnitranka retrospectiveevaluationoffactorsaffectingsuccessfulfittestingofrespiratoryprotectiveequipmentduringtheearlyphaseofcovid19 AT silviacaggiari retrospectiveevaluationoffactorsaffectingsuccessfulfittestingofrespiratoryprotectiveequipmentduringtheearlyphaseofcovid19 AT danbader retrospectiveevaluationoffactorsaffectingsuccessfulfittestingofrespiratoryprotectiveequipmentduringtheearlyphaseofcovid19 AT zoepackman retrospectiveevaluationoffactorsaffectingsuccessfulfittestingofrespiratoryprotectiveequipmentduringtheearlyphaseofcovid19 |