Personal protective equipment use by healthcare workers in intensive care unit during the early phase of COVID-19 pandemic in Italy: a secondary analysis of the PPE-SAFE survey.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Italy was the first Western country to be heavily affected by COVID-19. Healthcare workers (HCWs) were exposed to a high risk of occupational infection, partially due to insufficient personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies. This study aimed to describe the practices, availability, training, confidence in PPE use and the adverse effects due to extended PPE use, as reported by HCWs in Italy. We also aimed to provide a comparison between Italian data and those from other countries.

Methods

This study was a secondary analysis of a previously published international study, the PPE-SAFE Survey, conducted in April 2020. Data were analysed from the original study database.

Results

We analysed the responses from 380 healthcare workers based in Italy, out of the

SUBMITTER: Ippolito M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7922607 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan-Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature