Design considerations for protective mask development: A remote mask usability evaluation

Alison Cloet; Linsey Griffin; Minji Yu; William Durfee

doi:10.1016/j.apergo.2022.103751

Design considerations for protective mask development: A remote mask usability evaluation

Alison Cloet, Linsey Griffin, Minji Yu, William Durfee

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

The design of N95 filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) continues to pose usability concerns for healthcare workers, which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study was to develop a holistic model to guide mask design improvement. Dental students (n = 38) with experience wearing N95 FFRs participated in a randomized wear trial of three alternative protective masks. A mixed methods survey was used to examine usability of individual mask design components, the relationship of facial/head area to mask features, and overall mask design. Survey results indicated MNmask v1 demonstrated higher usability in seal confidence (M = 3.46), while MNmask v2 performed higher in satisfactory fit (M = 3.50). Design components of nose wire and head/neck bands were the most problematic, while conditions of skin irritation and tight/loose fit created an unfavorable wear experience. To consider healthcare workers’ needs in improving the usability of protective masks, a model is presented to consider characteristics of fit, comfort, material, and design.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	103751
Journal	Applied Ergonomics
Volume	102
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2022.103751
State	Published - Jul 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health's National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences [grant UL1TR002494 ]; and the University of Minnesota Institute for Engineering and Medicine . The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health's National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022

Keywords

COVID-19
Healthcare workers
Holistic mask design approach
Mask design improvement
N95 filtering facepiece respirators
Remote usability

PubMed: MeSH publication types

Journal Article
Randomized Controlled Trial

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.apergo.2022.103751

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abstract = "The design of N95 filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) continues to pose usability concerns for healthcare workers, which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study was to develop a holistic model to guide mask design improvement. Dental students (n = 38) with experience wearing N95 FFRs participated in a randomized wear trial of three alternative protective masks. A mixed methods survey was used to examine usability of individual mask design components, the relationship of facial/head area to mask features, and overall mask design. Survey results indicated MNmask v1 demonstrated higher usability in seal confidence (M = 3.46), while MNmask v2 performed higher in satisfactory fit (M = 3.50). Design components of nose wire and head/neck bands were the most problematic, while conditions of skin irritation and tight/loose fit created an unfavorable wear experience. To consider healthcare workers{\textquoteright} needs in improving the usability of protective masks, a model is presented to consider characteristics of fit, comfort, material, and design.",

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note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health's National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences [grant UL1TR002494 ]; and the University of Minnesota Institute for Engineering and Medicine . The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health's National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022",

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AB - The design of N95 filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) continues to pose usability concerns for healthcare workers, which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study was to develop a holistic model to guide mask design improvement. Dental students (n = 38) with experience wearing N95 FFRs participated in a randomized wear trial of three alternative protective masks. A mixed methods survey was used to examine usability of individual mask design components, the relationship of facial/head area to mask features, and overall mask design. Survey results indicated MNmask v1 demonstrated higher usability in seal confidence (M = 3.46), while MNmask v2 performed higher in satisfactory fit (M = 3.50). Design components of nose wire and head/neck bands were the most problematic, while conditions of skin irritation and tight/loose fit created an unfavorable wear experience. To consider healthcare workers’ needs in improving the usability of protective masks, a model is presented to consider characteristics of fit, comfort, material, and design.

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Design considerations for protective mask development: A remote mask usability evaluation

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

PubMed: MeSH publication types

UN SDGs

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