Use of surgical face masks to reduce the incidence of the common cold among health care workers in Japan: A randomized controlled trial

• Published in: American journal of infection control Vol. 37; no. 5; pp. 417 - 419
• Main Authors: Jacobs, Joshua L., Ohde, Sachiko, Takahashi, Osamu, Tokuda, Yasuharu, Omata, Fumio, Fukui, Tsuguya
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.06.2009; Elsevier; Mosby-Year Book, Inc
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Clinical trials; Common Cold - epidemiology; Common Cold - prevention & control; Cross Infection - prevention & control; Cross Infection - transmission; Disposable Equipment; Epidemiology. Vaccinations; Female; General aspects; Health Personnel; Hospital Bed Capacity, 500 and over; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infection Control; Infection Control - instrumentation; Infectious Disease; Infectious diseases; Japan - epidemiology; Male; Masks; Medical personnel; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Prospective Studies; Respiratory diseases; Respiratory Protective Devices; Risk factors; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the respiratory system and ent viral diseases; Asia; Japan; Infection; Prevention; Nose disease; Surgical mask; Viral disease; Check; Health care staff; ENT disease; Common cold; Face; Epidemiology; Incidence

Health care workers outside surgical suites in Asia use surgical-type face masks commonly. Prevention of upper respiratory infection is one reason given, although evidence of effectiveness is lacking. Health care workers in a tertiary care hospital in Japan were randomized into 2 groups: 1 that wore...