Table 1.
Studies on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) in healthcare settings in Pakistan.
| Author/study year | Study design | Participants | PPE included in the study* | Disease focus | Main findings* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waheed et al. 2017 [20] |
Descriptive study (observation and interviews) | 100 HCWs and 100 patients in 10 hospitals managing drug-resistant tuberculosis all over Pakistan | Face masks, respirators | Drug-resistant TB | Low compliance with face masks and respirators because of unavailability and discomfort |
| Chughtai et al. 2014 [21] | Cross-sectional survey using a questionnaire | 5 healthcare managers in health departments | Face masks, respirators | Influenza, SARS and TB | Various types of masks and respirators are recommended for these diseases |
| Chughtai et al. 2015 [22] | Cross-sectional survey using a questionnaire | Infection control coordinators in 55 secondary and tertiary hospitals in Punjab | Face masks, respirators | Influenza, SARS and TB | Various types of masks and respirators are used for these diseases. Medical masks are used in most hospitals. |
| Baqi et al. 2009 [23] |
Cross-sectional survey using a questionnaire | 13 inpatient units of a 1750-bed tertiary-care hospital in Karachi | Laboratory coats, gloves, face masks, eye shields | General infections | Masks and gowns were not available in some units and gowns were shared among wearers |
| Hussain et al. 2012 [24] |
Cross-sectional survey using a questionnaire | 251 medical students in Hyderabad | Face masks | Influenza (H1N1 pandemic) | 75% (181/241) of the participants preferred to use a face masks for influenza H1N1 |
| Javed et al. 2012 [25] |
Cross-sectional study using a questionnaire | 150 HCWs, including doctors, nurses and non-medical staff in medical units of a tertiary-care hospital in Karachi | PPE (details not provided) | TB | PPE was used by 25% (38/150) HCWs for suspected TB cases and 56% (84/150) for confirmed TB cases |
| Nasim et al. 2012 [26] |
Cross-sectional survey using a questionnaire and interviews | 1782 laboratory technicians from public and private sector laboratories across the country | Laboratory coats, gloves, face masks, eye shield | General infections | 31.9% of laboratory workers did not use any PPE. Gloves and laboratory coats the were most commonly used PPE |
| Nasim et al. 2010 [27] | Cross-sectional survey using a questionnaire and interviews | 253 laboratory technicians working in the public and private sector in Karachi | All PPE | General infections | 46.2% of laboratory technicians did not use any PPE |
| Khan et al. 2012 [28] |
Cross-sectional survey using a questionnaire | 200 dentists from two large dental hospitals in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | Gloves, face masks, eye shields | General infections | 94% used gloves, 68% use face masks and 35% use eye shields |
| Ahmed 2014 [29] |
Cross-sectional survey using a questionnaire | 251 dentists from dental colleges, hospitals and private clinics in Karachi | Gloves, face masks, caps, Laboratory coats, surgical gowns, protective eye wear | General infections | PPE use varied across the facilities and practitioner groups. The use of face masks and gloves was common, while the use of gowns, surgical caps and eye protection was not |
| Bokhari et al. 2009 [30] |
Cross-sectional survey using a questionnaire | 333 dental practitioners in Lahore | Gloves, face masks | General infections | Qualified practitioners used gloves (94.35% vs 28.2%) and face masks (97.5% vs 80.3%) significantly more often than unqualified practitioners |
| Mohiuddin et al. 2015 [31] | Cross-sectional survey using a questionnaire | 120 dentists at the Institute of Oral Health Sciences in Karachi | Gloves, face masks, eye protection | General infections | 98% (118/120) of dentists change gloves after each patient. 74% (89/120) of participants routinely used face masks |
| Rahim et al. 2017 [32] | Cross-sectional survey using a questionnaire | 443 final-year pharmacy students in seven universities in Karachi | Face masks, gloves, other PPE | Pandemic influenza | 57% (254/443) of participants believed that influenza could be prevented by the use of PPE |
TB: tuberculosis, HCW: healthcare workers, SARS: severe acute respiratory syndrome.
*
Only PPE-related findings are presented in the table.