Self-reported impact of respirator use on health care worker ability to perform patient care
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Updated: Dec 18, 2025

Effects of Surgical Masks on Cardiopulmonary Function in Healthy Subjects
Published on: February 12, 2021
Stella E Hines1, Marc S Oliver1, Patricia Gucer1
1Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Medicine, The University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD.
Abstract:
In a study of 1,152 health care workers surveyed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, most disagreed that respiratory protective equipment use interferes with patient care but reported that it would affect respirator use compliance if it did. A patient's fear reaction variably influenced self-reported health care worker compliance with respirator use. Strategies to improve protective equipment design may remove potential barriers to respirator use and allow better health care worker-patient relationships.
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