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Course: Patient and Health Care Worker Perceptions of Communication and Ability to Identify Emotion When Wearing Standard and Transparent Masks

CME Credits: 1.00

Released: 2021-11-22

Key Points

Question Could transparent masks help to overcome communication barriers associated with widespread mask use among the general population, general health care workers, and health care workers who are deaf or hard of hearing in the United States?
Findings In this survey study of 1000 members of the general public, 123 general health care workers, and 45 health care workers who are deaf or hard of hearing, participants perceived mask wearing as potentially impairing communication. Respondents reported an improved ability to read emotion with transparent mask use, and transparent masks were generally accepted across all 3 populations surveyed.
Meaning These findings suggest that transparent masks have the potential to overcome barriers in communication brought on by universal mask wearing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abstract

Importance Adoption of mask wearing in response to the COVID-19 pandemic alters daily communication.
Objective To assess communication barriers associated with mask wearing in patient-clinician interactions and individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing.
Design, Setting, and Participants This pilot cross-sectional survey study included the general population, health care workers, and health care workers who are deaf or hard of hearing in the United States. Volunteers were sampled via an opt-in survey panel and nonrandomized convenience sampling. The general population survey was conducted between January 5 and January 8, 2021. The health care worker surveys were conducted between December 3, 2020, and January 3, 2021. Respondents viewed 2 short videos of a study author wearing both a standard and transparent N95 mask and answered questions regarding mask use, communication, preference, and fit. Surveys took 15 to 20 minutes to complete.
Main Outcomes and Measures Participants’ perceptions were assessed surrounding the use of both mask types related to communication and the ability to express emotions.
Results The national survey consisted of 1000 participants (mean [SD] age, 48.7 [18.5] years; 496 [49.6%] women) with a response rate of 92.25%. The survey of general health care workers consisted of 123 participants (mean [SD] age, 49.5 [9.0] years; 84 [68.3%] women), with a response rate of 11.14%. The survey of health care workers who are deaf or hard of hearing consisted of 45 participants (mean [SD] age, 54.5 [9.0] years; 30 [66.7%] women) with a response rate of 23.95%. After viewing a video demonstrating a study author wearing a transparent N95 mask, 781 (78.1%) in the general population, 109 general health care workers (88.6%), and 38 health care workers who are deaf or hard of hearing (84.4%) were able to identify the emotion being expressed, in contrast with 201 (20.1%), 25 (20.5%), and 11 (24.4%) for the standard opaque N95 mask. In the general population, 450 (45.0%) felt positively about interacting with a health care worker wearing a transparent mask; 76 general health care workers (61.8%) and 37 health care workers who are deaf or hard of hearing (82.2%) felt positively about wearing a transparent mask to communicate with patients.
Conclusions and Relevance The findings of this study suggest that transparent masks could help improve communication during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly for individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing.


Educational Objective
To identify the key insights or developments described in this article


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