Table 3.
Hypothetical acceptability of using PPE after disinfection, by profession
| Medical (n=269) | Nursing (n=468) | Dental (n=86) | Allied health (n=486) | Other health (n=102) | Total (n=1411) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not comfortable reusing disinfected PPE under any circumstances (even if this would mean no PPE was available for use) | 8 (3%) | 77 (16%) | 9 (10%) | 94 (19%) | 27 (26%) | 215 (15%) | |
| Would be comfortable under certain circumstances* | 261 (97%) | 391 (84%) | 77 (90%) | 392 (81%) | 75 (74%) | 1196 (85%) | |
| Supply shortages | 207 (77%) | 293 (63%) | 64 (74%) | 285 (59%) | 54 (53%) | 903 (64%) | |
| Pandemic situations | 163 (61%) | 193 (41%) | 46 (53%) | 176 (36%) | 37 (37%) | 615 (44%) | |
| Non-pandemic situations | 185 (69%) | 216 (46%) | 55 (64%) | 274 (56%) | 42 (41%) | 772 (55%) | |
| Types of PPE participants would reuse after disinfection* | |||||||
| Filtering facepiece respirators | 161/261 (62%) | 114/391 (29%) | 37/77 (48%) | 136/392 (35%) | 27/75 (36%) | 475/1196 (40%) | |
| Surgical masks | 119/261 (46%) | 77/391 (20%) | 30/77 (39%) | 126/392 (32%) | 21/75 (28%) | 373/1196 (31%) | |
| Gowns | 217/261 (83%) | 220/391 (56%) | 69/77 (90%) | 252/392 (64%) | 49/75 (65%) | 807/1196 (67%) | |
| Face shields | 250/261 (96%) | 358/391 (92%) | 73/77 (95%) | 354/392 (90%) | 64/75 (85%) | 1099/1196 (92%) | |
| Eyewear | 251/261 (96%) | 369/391 (94%) | 75/77 (97%) | 357/392 (91%) | 68/75 (91%) | 1120/1196 (94%) | |
Data are n (%). PPE=personal protective equipment.
*
Multiple responses possible, so totals add up to more than 100%.