Uso de máscaras N95: alterações de pele nos profissionais de saúde da região norte do Brasil

Abstract

SARS-CoV-2 is transmitted through person-to-person contact through respiratory droplets that are expelled during speech, coughing and sneezing. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), protecting the health of health professionals is essential to prevent the transmission of Covid-19 in health facilities and in their homes, and it is necessary to adopt infection control protocols and provide PPE, including N95 masks, aprons, goggles, face shields and gloves, the adoption of these equipment constitutes non-pharmacological interventions. In view of what has been presented, it is important to investigate which factors related to the use of an N95 mask may be related to skin changes in health professionals in Northern Brazil, in order to support mechanisms that promote the minimization of deleterious effects caused by the use of said mask, in addition to enhancing possible protective factors. Objective: To identify characteristics related to the use of N95 mask that cause skin changes among health professionals in northern Brazil during the Covid-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: A multicenter study carried out in the North region of Brazil from October to December 2020, with 1,684 health professionals who worked in health care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were invited via social media and the information collected electronically was stored on the Survey Monkey platform. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the sample, association tests (Chi-square), with a level of statistical significance at p < 0.05. Factors associated with the use of N95 mask related to skin changes were determined by Binary Logistic Regression, significance level of 5% (α = 0.05). Results: 1,684 health professionals from the northern region of Brazil participated in the study, male professionals were 1,708 more likely to have skin changes related to the use of N95 mask. Other factors evaluated, such as: the period of N95 mask change, having worked in a field hospital for Covid-19, working in intensive care, urgency and emergency and having received some training or course on Covid-19 were considered protective factors for the development of skin changes. The main reasons for N95 mask change were moisture, loss of seal, contamination and damage (tear). Conclusion: The study showed that the characteristics related to the use of N95 mask that correlated with skin changes among health professionals were the sex of this professional, the frequency of mask change, the specialty in which the professional (Intensive care, Urgent and Emergency and field hospitals), as well as having received training or course for Covid-19. Thus, it is important to carry out studies that bring dermatological care to this specific population, in order to allow the protection of the skin, as well as that of health professionals in the face of diseases such as Covid-19.