Respirators in Healthcare: Material, Design, Regulatory, Environmental, and Economic Considerations for Clinical Efficacy

Cameron C. Young; James D. Byrne; Adam J. Wentworth; Joy E. Collins; Jacqueline N. Chu; Giovanni Traverso

doi:10.1002/gch2.202200001

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Respirators in Healthcare: Material, Design, Regulatory, Environmental, and Economic Considerations for Clinical Efficacy

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Respirators in Healthcare: Material, Design, Regulatory, Environmental, and Economic Considerations for Clinical Efficacy

Cameron C. Young, James D. Byrne, Adam J. Wentworth, Joy E. Collins, Jacqueline N. Chu and Giovanni Traverso

Global challenges, Vol.6(10), 2200001

04/12/2022

DOI: 10.1002/gch2.202200001

PMCID: PMC9110919

PMID: 35601599

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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9110919View

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Abstract

Maintaining an ample supply of personal protective equipment continues to be a challenge for the healthcare industry, especially during emergency situations and times of strain on the supply chain. Most critically, healthcare workers exposed to potential airborne hazards require sufficient respiratory protection. Respirators are the only type of personal protective equipment able to provide adequate respiratory protection. However, their ability to shield hazards depends on design, material, proper fit, and environmental conditions. As a result, not all respirators may be adequate for all scenarios. Additionally, factors including user comfort, ease of use, and cost contribute to respirator effectiveness. Therefore, a careful consideration of these parameters is essential for ensuring respiratory protection for those working in the healthcare industry. Here respirator design and material characteristics are reviewed, as well as properties of airborne hazards and potential filtration mechanisms, regulatory standards of governmental agencies, respirator efficacy in the clinical setting, attitude of healthcare personnel toward respiratory protection, and environmental and economic considerations of respirator manufacturing and distribution.

Multidisciplinary Sciences

Science & Technology

Science & Technology - Other Topics

Details

Title: Subtitle: Respirators in Healthcare: Material, Design, Regulatory, Environmental, and Economic Considerations for Clinical Efficacy
Creators: Cameron C. Young - Northeastern University
James D. Byrne - Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Adam J. Wentworth - Brigham and Women's Hospital
Joy E. Collins - Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Jacqueline N. Chu - Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Giovanni Traverso - Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Global challenges, Vol.6(10), 2200001
DOI: 10.1002/gch2.202200001
PMID: 35601599
PMCID: PMC9110919
NLM abbreviation: Glob Chall
ISSN: 2056-6646
eISSN: 2056-6646
Publisher: Wiley
Number of pages: 15
Grant note: Division of Gastroenterology, Brigham and Women's Hospital Karl van Tassel (1925) Career Development Professorship Department of Mechanical Engineering, MIT Prostate Cancer Foundation Young Investigator Award T32DK007191 / NIH T32; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA
Language: English
Date published: 04/12/2022
Academic Unit: Roy J. Carver Department of Biomedical Engineering; Radiation Oncology
Record Identifier: 9984274857202771

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