Open AccessProper Use and Compliance of Facial Masks During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Observational Study of Hospitals in New York City
Author(s) -
Jameson Loyal
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
cutis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.289
H-Index - 53
eISSN - 2326-6929
pISSN - 0011-4162
DOI - 10.12788/cutis.0412
Subject(s) - medicine , observational study , pandemic , covid-19 , demographics , compliance (psychology) , health care , medical emergency , cornerstone , face masks , family medicine , environmental health , disease , demography , pathology , psychology , social psychology , sociology , infectious disease (medical specialty) , economics , economic growth , art , visual arts
Proper mask usage is a cornerstone of the prevention of COVID-19 transmission. Hospitals, in particular, are important settings for proper mask compliance due to the risk for viral exposure. Despite the presence of health care personnel and financial resources to ensure proper compliance, mask usage is variable in health care settings. The impact of mask compliance is particularly important in New York City (NYC) because of the burden of COVID-19 and at-risk demographics. We conducted a prospective observational study in 4 NYC hospitals assessing rates of proper mask compliance among adult patients entering the hospital. Six hundred unique individuals were observed for proper mask fit, exposure of the nose and mouth, and the presence of nontraditional face coverings in lieu of a mask at 4 NYC hospitals. Proper mask usage is a large health education gap that must be addressed by health care administrations and governmental agencies, as mask usage continues to be an effective form of COVID-19 prevention.