Browse > Article
http://dx.doi.org/10.5805/SFTI.2022.24.5.655

Validity of a Simulated Practical Performance Test to Evaluate the Mobility and Physiological Burden of COVID-19 Healthcare Workers Wearing Personal Protective Equipment  

Kwon, JuYoun (Research Institute of Human Ecology, Seoul National University)
Cho, Ye-Sung (Dept. of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design, Seoul National University)
Lee, Beom Hui (Dept. of Anthropology, Seoul National University)
Kim, Min-Seo (Dept. of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design, Seoul National University)
Jun, Youngmin (KOTITI Testing & Research Institute)
Lee, Joo-Young (Research Institute of Human Ecology, Seoul National University)
Publication Information
Fashion & Textile Research Journal / v.24, no.5, 2022 , pp. 655-665 More about this Journal
Abstract
This study evaluated the validity of a newly developed mobility protocol examining the comfort functions and requirements of personal protective equipment (PPE) for COVID-19 healthcare workers. Eight males (age: 24.7 ± 3.0 y, height: 173.4 ± 2.3 cm, and body weight 69.9 ± 3.7 kg) participated in the following three PPE conditions: (1) Plastic gown ensemble, (2) Level D ensemble, and (3) Powered air purifying respirator (PAPR) ensemble. The mobility protocol consisted of 10 different tasks in addition to donning and doffing. The 10 tasks were repeated twice at an air temperature of 25oC with 74% RH. The results showed significant differences among the three PPE conditions in mean skin temperature, local skin temperatures (the forehead, thigh, calf, and foot), clothing microclimate (the chest and back), thermal sensation, thermal comfort, and humidity sensation, while there were no significant differences in heart rate or total sweat rate. At rest, the subjects felt less warm and more comfortable in the PAPR than in the Level D condition (P<0.05). However, subjective perceptions in the PAPR and Level D conditions became similar as the tasks progressed and mean skin and leg temperature became greater for the PAPR than the Level D condition (P<0.05). An interview was conducted just after completing the mobility test protocol, and suggestions for improving each PPE item were obtained. To sum up, the mobility test protocol was valid for evaluating the comfort functions of PPE for healthcare workers and obtaining requirements for improving the mobility of each PPE item.
Keywords
mobility; personal protective equipment(PPE); comfort; visibility; evaluation parameter;
Citations & Related Records
Times Cited By KSCI : 2  (Citation Analysis)
연도 인용수 순위
1 Alarfaj, M. A., Foula, M. S., Alshammary, S., Nwesar, F. A., Eldamati, A. M., Alomar, A., Abdulmomen, A. A., Alarfaj, L., Almulhim, A., Alarfaj, O., & Zakaria, H. M. (2021). Impact of wearing personal protective equipment on the performance and decision making of surgeons during the COVID-19 pandemic - An observational cross-sectional study. Medicine, 100(37), e27240. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000027240   DOI
2 Luze, H., Nischwitz, S. P., Kotzbeck, P., Fink, J., Holzer, J. C., Popp, D., & Kamolz, L. P. (2021). Personal protective equipment in the COVID-19 pandemic and the use of cooling-wear as alleviator of thermal stress. Wiener Klinische Wochenschrift, 133(7), 312-320. doi: 10.1007/s00508-020-01775-x   DOI
3 Ministry of Health and Welfare. (2020). COVID-19 infection prevention and management -Method of selecting and detaching protective equipment. Retrieved July 21, 2022 from http://ncov.mohw.go.kr/upload/ncov/file/202005/158872 9811310_20200506105011.pdf
4 Powell, J. B., Kim, J. H., & Roberge, R. J. (2017). Powered airpurifying respirator use in healthcare - Effects on thermal sensations and comfort. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, 14(12), 947-954. doi:10.1080/15459624.2017.1358817   DOI
5 Schumacher, J., Gray, S. A., Michel, S., Alcock, R., & Brinker, A. (2013). Respiratory protection during simulated emergency pediatric life support - A randomized, controlled, crossover study. Prehospital and Disaster Medicine, 28(1), 33-38. doi:10.1017/S1049023X12001525   DOI
6 Vidua, R. K., Chouksey, V. K., Bhargava, D. C., & Kumar, J. (2020). Problems arising from PPE when worn for long periods. MedicoLegal Journal, 88(1_suppl), 47-49. doi:10.1177/0025817220935880   DOI
7 Martyny, J., Glazer, C. S., & Newman, L. S. (2002). Respiratory protection. New England Journal of Medicine, 347(11), 824-830. doi:10.1056/NEJMra012670   DOI
8 Chughtai, A. A., Chen, X., & Macintyre, C. R. (2018). Risk of selfcontamination during doffing of personal protective equipment. American Journal of Infection Control, 46(12), 1329-1334. doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2018.06.003   DOI
9 Australian Government Department of Health. Coronavirus Disease [AGDHCD] 2019 (COVID-19) - CDNA national guidelines for public health units. Canberra: Australian Government Department of Health; 11 January 2021. [Retrieved January 18, 2021, from] https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/7A8654A8CB144F5FCA2584F8001F91E2/$File/COVID-19-SoNG-v4.1.pdf
10 Bharatendu, C., Ong, J. J., Goh, Y., Tan, B. Y., Chan, A. C., Tang, J. Z., ... & Sharma, V. K.. (2020). Powered air purifying respirator (PAPR) restores the N95 face mask induced cerebral hemodynamic alterations among healthcare workers during COVID-19 outbreak. Journal of the Neurological Sciences, 417, 117078. doi:10.1016/j.jns.2020.117078   DOI
11 Hardy, J. D. & DuBois, E. F. (1938). The technic of measuring radiation and convection. Journal of Nutrition, 15, 461-475. doi:10.1093/jn/15.5.461   DOI
12 Kim, D. H., Jung, J. Y., Kim, D. H., & Lee. J. Y. (2019). Effects of wearing Nomex body cooling garment inside firefighting protective equipment on the efficiency of performance during simulated firefighters' tasks. The Korean Society of Living Environmental System, 26(1), 9-24.   DOI
13 ISO 9886. (2004). Ergonomics-evaluation of thermal strain by physiological measurements. International Standard Organization.
14 ISO 10551. (2019). Ergonomics of the physical environment - Subjective judgement scales for assessing physical environments. International Standard Organization.
15 Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. (2022). COVID-19 prevention and management of infection in medical institutions. Korean Disease Control and Prevention Agency Retrieved July 21, 2022, from https://kdca.go.kr/board/board.es?mid=a20507020000&bid=0019&act=view&list_no=718936
16 BS EN 13274-1. (2001). Respiratory protective devices-Methods of test-Part 1: Determination of inward leakage and total inward leakage (BS EN 13274-1). London, UK: BSI British Standards. 2001
17 Schumacher, J., Gray, S. A., Weidelt, L., Brinker, A., Prior, K., & Stratling, W. M. (2009). Comparison of powered and conventional air-purifying respirators during simulated resuscitation of casualties contaminated with hazardous substances. Emergency Medicine Journal, 26(7), 501-505. doi:10.1136/emj.2008.061531   DOI
18 Kim, D. M., Lee, I. S., & Lee, J. Y. (2016). Mobility evaluation of popular firefighting protective gloves in domestic and foreign countries-Don-doff test, dexterity test, and torque test. Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles, 40(5), 921-935.   DOI
19 Kim, S. Y., & Lee, J. Y. (2016). Development of firefighting performance test drills while wearing personal protective equipment. Fire Science and Engineering, 30(1), 138-148. doi:10.7731/KIFSE.2016.30.1.138   DOI
20 Larsson, J., Olsson, M. C., Bremander, A., & Dencker, M. (2022). Physiological demands and characteristics of movement during simulated combat. Military Medicine (in press). doi:10.1093/milmed/usac163   DOI
21 Ministry of Health and Welfare. (2022). Guidelines for operation of residential treatment centers for COVID-19 response. Retrieved July 21, 2022, from http://ncov.mohw.go.kr/shBoardView.do?brdId=2&brdGubun=28&ncvContSeq=4627
22 Radonovich, L. J., & Bender, B. S. (2010). Surgical masks were noninferior to N95 respirators for preventing influenza in health care providers. Annals of Internal Medicine, 152(12), JC3-2. doi:10.7326/0003-4819-152-6-201003160-02002   DOI
23 Schumacher, J., Arlidge, J., Dudley, D., Sicinski, M., & Ahmad, I. (2020). The impact of respiratory protective equipment on difficult airway management - A randomised, crossover, simulation study. Anaesthesia, 75(10), 1301-1306. doi:10.1111/anae.15102   DOI
24 Schram, B., Hinton, B., Orr, R., Pope, R., & Norris, G. (2018). The perceived effects and comfort of various body armour systems on police officers while performing occupational tasks. Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 30(1), 110. doi:10.1186/s40557-018-0228-x   DOI
25 Lim, G. Y., Lee, H. R., Chun, Y. M., & Lee, J. Y. (2021). Personal protective equipment for healthcare workers during the COVID19 pandemic: improvement of thermal comfort and development of a mobility test protocol. The Journal of the Korean Society of Community Living Science, 32(3), 363-379. doi.org/10.7856/kjcls.2021.32.3.363   DOI
26 Lee, E., Shabeeb, R. Q. A., Shatanofy, M. E., Mulcahy, C. F., Benjenk, I., Yamane, D., Sherman, M., & Heinz, E. (2021). A comparison study of powered air purifying respirator (PAPR) and N95 among healthcare providers during incubations on COVID-19 patients. The George Washington University.
27 Lee, H. H., Shin, S. R., Kim, Y. B., Park, S. J., & Lee, J. Y. (2016). Evaluation of mobility and physiological performance while wearing the present Korean navy summer uniform and prototype. Journal of Korean Society of Living and Environmental System, 23, 853-867. doi: 10.21086/ksles.2016.12.23.6.853   DOI