Qualitative Fit Testing of High-Efficiency Particulate Respirators for Healthcare Personnel / 병원감염관리

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This study purposed to survey the fit rate of respirators by person and by product through conducting a qualitative fit test of high-efficiency respirators; moreover, this study also tests for differences in the fit rates determined by the qualitative fit tests with an increase in the number of the types of respirators tested. METHODS: The subjects of this study were 30 healthcare personnel who had passed a sensitivity test. The fit test of high-efficiency respirators was conducted using FT10 (3M Co., USA), an experimental tool used for performing the qualitative fit test of high-efficiency respirators, and three types of high-efficiency respirators - 1860, PFR95, and N7000 - were tested. RESULTS: The qualitative fit test was performed for the three types of high-efficiency respirators and the fit rate of the respirators that the subjects had been using previously was 43.3%; however, the probability that one or more of the three types of high-efficiency respirators would fit the subjects increased to 83.3%, and this increase was statistically significant (P<0.05). The difference in the fit rates of the three types of high-efficiency respirator types was not statistically significant; however, the differences in the satisfaction of and preference for the different respirator products were all statistically significant (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Healthcare personnel are using ill-fitting respirators and a qualitative fit test should be performed to improve the fit of their respirator. In the qualitative fit test performed for the high-efficiency respirators, the fit rate increased with the increase in the variety of respirator types. Thus, a large variety of respirators should be made available to increase the fit rate of high-efficiency respirators for healthcare personnel.