Seeing faces, when faces can't be seen: Wearing portrait photos has a positive effect on how patients perceive medical staff when face masks have to be worn.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Since the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, wearing surgical face masks has become mandatory for healthcare staff in many countries when interacting with patients. Recently, it has been shown that wearing face masks impairs social interaction by diminishing a person's ability to read the emotion of their counterparts, an essential prerequisite to respond adequately in social situations. It is easily conceivable that this may have a tangible negative influence on the communication and relationship between patients and healthcare personnel. We therefore investigated whether it has an effect on how patients perceive healthcare professionals when physicians and nursing staff wear portrait photos with their smiling faces in addition to face masks.

SUBMITTER: Wiesmann M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8133480 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature