Risk factors for development of personal protective equipment induced headache : e-survey of medical staff in Baltic states
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Date
2022-12
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Abstract
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic led to an unprecedented increase in the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) among medical personnel. The goal of this study was to determine the risk factors and frequency of PPE-induced headache during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: From January 25 to March 1, 2021, an anonymous online survey was undertaken in the Baltic states. Results: In total, 2132 individuals participated. 52.3% experienced a PPE-induced headache. Usual onset time was between 2–3 h, lasting up to 1 h after PPE removal. The most common localization was in temporal and frontal regions. Headache usually occurred 2 to 3 days per week with an average pain score of 5.04 ± 1.80 points. Higher risk was associated with discomfort/pressure OR = 11.55, heat stress OR = 2.228, skin conditions OR = 1.784, long PPE use (duration 10-12 h) OR = 2,18, headache history prior PPE use OR = 1.207. Out of 52.3% respondents with PPE-induced headache, 45.5% developed de novo headache, whereas 54.5% had headache history. Statistically significant differences of PPE-induced headache between respective groups included severity (4.73 vs 5.29), duration (≥ 6 h 6.7% vs 8.2%), accompanying symptoms (nausea (19.3% vs 25.7%), photophobia (19.1% vs 25.7%), phonophobia (15.8% vs 23.5%), osmophobia (5.3% vs 12.0%)) and painkiller use (43.0% vs 61.7%). Conclusions: Over half of the medical personnel reported headache while using PPE. The risk was higher in individuals with headache history, increased duration of PPE use and discomfort while using PPE. Predisposed individuals reported PPE-induced headache which persisted longer, was more intense and debilitating than in the respondents with de novo headache.
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Funding Information: The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and publication of this article. We would like to thank all the medical personnel who participated in this study. Publisher Copyright: © 2022, The Author(s).
Keywords
Headache, Medical personnel, Personal protective equipment, 3.2 Clinical medicine, 1.1. Scientific article indexed in Web of Science and/or Scopus database, Health Policy, SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
Citation
Jokubaitis, M, Timofejavaitė, R, Braschinsky, M, Zvaune, L, Leheste, A R, Gribuste, L, Mattila, P, Strautmane, S, Dapkutė, A & Ryliškienė, K 2022, 'Risk factors for development of personal protective equipment induced headache : e-survey of medical staff in Baltic states', BMC Health Services Research, vol. 22, no. 1, 1016, pp. 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-022-08412-5