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. 2022 Jul 13;28(1):10–18. doi: 10.1016/j.idh.2022.06.001

Table 3.

Factors associated with adverse effects related to the wear of personal protective equipment among healthcare professionals: results of univariate analysis.

Variables Adverse effects related to PPE
Crude Odds Ratio 95% CI p
Yes (N (%)) No (N (%))
Age groups (years)
 ≤45 141 (49.1) 146 (50.9) 1
 >45 2 (15.4) 11 (84.6) 0.19 [0.04–0.86] 0.03
Gender
 Male 31 (37.8) 51 (62.2) 1
 Female 112 (51.4) 106 (48.6) 1.74 [1.1–2.92] 0.03
Educational level
 Secondary 2 (40) 3 (60) 1
 University 141 (47.8) 154 (52.2) 1.37 [0.22–8.34] 0.73
Matrimonial status
 Single 44 (44.9) 54 (55.1) 1
 Married 99 (49) 103 (51) 1.18 [0.72–1.91] 0.50
Number of family members
 <4 87 (48.6) 92 (51.4) 1
 ≥4 56 (46.3) 65 (53.7) 0.91 [0.57–1.45] 0.69
Professional category
 Paramedical 28 (40.6) 41 (59.4) 1 0.16
 Medical 104 (51.5) 98 (48.5) 1.55 [0.89–2.70] 0.12
 Other categories 11 (37.9) 18 (62.1) 0.89 [0.37–2.18] 0.80
Work seniority (years)
>10 6 (23.1) 20 (76.9) 1
≤10 137 (50) 137 (50) 3.33 [1.30–8.33] 0.01
Department or unit
 Surgical 94 (50.8) 91 (49.2) 1 0.008
 Medical 17 (28.8) 42 (71.2) 2.55 [1.35–4.80] 0.004
 Intensive care unit 23 (62.6) 14 (37.8) 4.06 [1.69–9.69] 0.002
 COVID-19 unit 9 (47.4) 10 (52.6) 2.22 [0.76–6.43] 0.14
Tobacco
 No 117 (49.4) 120 (50.6) 1
 Yes 26 (41.3) 37 (58.7) 0.27 [0.41–1.26] 0.25
Chronic disease
 No 128 (52) 118 (48) 1
 Yes 15 (27.8) 39 (72.2) 0.35 [0.19–0.68] 0.002
Previously infected by COVID-19
 No 91 (53.8) 78 (46.2) 1
 Yes 52 (39.7) 79 (60.3) 0.56 [0.35–0.89] 0.01
Frequent use of moisturizers cream
 No 76 (44.2) 96 (55.8) 1
 Yes 67 (52.3) 61 (47.7) 1.38 [0.87–2.19] 0.16
Frequent use of bleach or other product of disinfection without protection
 No 50 (33.6) 99 (66.4) 1
 Yes 92 (61.3) 58 (38.7) 3.14 [1.95–5.04] <0.001
Frequent use of hot water
 No 112 (44.8) 138 (55.2) 1
 Yes 31 (62) 19 (38) 2.01 [1.08–3.75] 0.03
Frequency of hydro alcoholic gel use
 ≤once an hour 63 (49.2) 65 (50.8) 1
 >once an hour 80 (46.5) 92 (53.5) 0.89 [0.57–1.42] 0.64
Hands wash frequency
 <10 times per day 50 (48.1) 54 (51.9) 1
 ≥10 times per day 93 (47.4) 103 (52.6) 0.97 [0.61–1.57] 0.92
Dealing with COVID-19 positive patients
 No 51 (37) 87 (63) 1
 Yes 92 (56.8) 70 (43.2) 2.24 [1.41–3.57] 0.001
Number of night shift at COVID-19 unit per month
 ≤1 per month 118 (45.4) 25 (62.5) 1
 >1 per month 142 (54.6) 15 (37.5) 2.01 [1.01–3.97] 0.04
Number of hours at the night shift at COVID-19 unit
 ≤10 72 (42.6) 97 (57.4) 1
 >10 71 (54.2) 60 (45.8) 1.59 [1.01–2.52] 0.04
PPE availability and accessibility
 No 76 (48.4) 81 (51.6) 1
 Yes 67 (46.9) 76 (53.1) 0.94 [0.59–1.4] 0.78
Confidence in PPE protection
 No 69 (46.9) 78 (53.1) 1
 Yes 74 (48.4) 79 (51.9) 1.06 [0.67–1.66] 0.80
Adequate training for the proper use of PPE
 No 30 (42.3) 41 (57.7) 1
 Yes 113 (49.3) 116 (50.7) 1.33 [0.78–2.28] 0.29
Type of PPE
Masks
 Cloth face mask 4 (26.7) 11 (73.3) 1 0.02
 Surgical mask 45 (40.2) 67 (59.8) 1.85 [0.55–6.16] 0.32
 FFP2 or N95 mask 94 (54.3) 79 (45.7) 3.27 [1.1–10.68] 0.04
Gloves
 No 68 (43.6) 88 (56.4) 1
 Yes 75 (52.1) 69 (47.9) 1.41 [0.89–2.21] 0.14
Visors and/or mirror
 No 87 (41) 125 (59) 1
 Yes 56 (63.6) 32 (36.4) 2.51 [1.50–4.2] <0.001
Jumpsuits and/or gowns
 No 74 (46) 87 (54) 1
 Yes 69 (49.6) 70 (50.4) 1.16 [0.74–1.83] 0.52
Full PPE
 No 54 (38) 88 (62) 1
 Yes 89 (56.3) 69 (43.7) 2.1 [1.32–3.34] 0.002
Duration of PPE use per day (hours)
 ≤4 20 (33.3) 40 (66.7) 1
 >4 123 (51.2) 117 (48.8) 1.99 [1.11–3.57] 0.02
Duration of PPE use per week (days)
 ≤4 17 (34) 33 (66) 1
 >4 126 (50.4) 124 (49.6) 1.97 [1.1–3.72] 0.03

PPE= Personal Protective equipment; CI= Confidence interval; % = Percentage; N= Number.