NSU Research Contributions
Title : 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
Authors : Sreshtha Chowdhury, Simanta Roy, Mohammad Azmain Iktidar, Shahidur Rahman, Mowshomi Mannan Liza, A. M. Khairul Islam, Sharmin Akhter, Madhuritu Bhadra Medha, Afia Tasnim, Antara Das Gupta, Auditia Deb, Shresta Chowdhury, Mohammad Delwer Hossain Hawlader
| Journal Article Title: PLOS One | Volume Number: 17 | Publication Year : 2022 | Issue Number: 4 |
| Index: scopus | Ranking: Q1 | Publisher Name: PLOS (Public Library of Science) | |
| Pages : 15 | |||
| Funding Source : None |
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Direct Sustainable Development Goals : SDG3 Good Health & Well-being |
Indirect Sustainable Development Goals : SDG5 Gender Equality SDG8 Decent Work & Economic Growth |
Sustainable Development Sub Goals : Reduce premature mortality from non-communicable diseases and promote mental health and well-being Achieve universal health coverage Strengthen capacity for health risk management |
| Impact statement: The study identifies a high prevalence of adverse reactions among healthcare workers in Bangladesh due to prolonged face mask use, with 60.15% suffering from neurological issues (headaches/vertigo), 48.76% from dermatological problems (acne/pressure sores), and 28.47% from oral problems. Key risk factors include female gender, physician occupation, working over 32 hours per week, and the use of N95 or multiple masks. These findings highlight an urgent need for healthcare facilities to implement precautionary measures, such as providing work recesses and skin-comforting agents, to protect the well-being of frontline staff and maintain the effectiveness of PPE. | Collaboration: None | Keywords: Face mask, COVID-19, Health care workers, Bangladesh, Dermatological problems, Oral problems, Neurological problems, N95 mask, |
