Effects of Distance, Noise, and Personal Respiratory Protective Equipment on Speech Comprehension in Simulated Critical Care Setting.

ABSTRACT: Background/Objectives: Effective communication in critical care is crucial, particularly with the constraints of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). This study aimed to evaluate speech intelligibility under varying conditions of distance, ambient noise, and PPE types in a simulated ICU. Methodology: A quasi-experimental design was used with 23 participants in 24 scenarios, combining three distances (1, 2, and 5 m), two noise levels (quiet and ICU-like), and four PPE types (no mask, surgical mask, N95, and PAPR). Speech intelligibility was assessed by positioning the subjects at varying distances while playing phonetically balanced words through a playback device equipped with the different PPE being tested. The evaluation was conducted under two sound conditions (25 dB(A) an

SUBMITTER: Rojo-Rojo A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11855685 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature