Pressure injury related to the use of N95 mask in COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Objective: to evaluate the development of pressure injuries triggered by N95 personal protective masks in health professionals, as well as to evaluate the use of protective barriers used as an interface to prevent this type of injury. Method: This is a cross-sectional study developed from July 2020 to July 2021. For data collection, a questionnaire was applied to assess the particularities of the skin, lesion development, classification and risk factors for its development. For statistical analysis, significance of p <0.1 and multiple logistic regression were considered. Results: Eighty-five professionals were evaluated, and 91.8% of them developed some type of injury. Conclusion: Pressure injuries related to the use of N95 personal protective masks were highly prevalent in this population. And although important, protective barriers were under-used due to financial issues in the institution.