School of Civil Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China.
The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
Sci Total Environ. 2023 Jun 15;877:162779. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162779. Epub 2023 Mar 15.
With the outbreak and spread of the COVID-19 epidemic, HCWs are frequently required to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) for nucleic acid sample collection in semi-open transition spaces. Wearing PPE causes significant psychological and physical stress in HCWs. In this study, operative temperature (T) and wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) were used to assess thermal conditions through field experiments, while multiple physiological parameters were measured in the subjects. The results indicated that the subjects showed statistically significant differences in thermal perception and physiological parameters with and without PPE. Using observed increases in heart rate (HR), auditory canal temperature (T), mean skin temperature (MST), and end-tidal CO pressure, subjects were shown to have an increased metabolic rate and heat storage while wearing PPE. Additionally, a decrease in oxygen concentration was also observed, and this decrease may be linked to fatigue and cognitive impairment. Moreover, HR, MST, and T showed a significant linear relationship, which increased with temperature and operative temperature, and the HR response was stronger with PPE than without PPE. The neutral, preferred, and acceptable temperatures were significantly lower with PPE than without PPE, and the deviations for neutral T/WBGT were 9.5/7.1 °C and preferred T/WBGT was 2.2/4.0 °C, respectively. Moreover, the upper limits of acceptable WBGT, 29.4 °C with PPE and 20.4 °C without PPE, differed significantly between the two phases. Furthermore, the recorded physiological parameter responses and thermal perception responses of the subjects while wearing PPE indicated that they were at risk of thermal stress. Overall, these results suggest that people who wear PPE should focus on their health and thermal stress. This study provides a reference for the development of strategies to counteract heat stress and improve thermal comfort.
随着 COVID-19 疫情的爆发和传播，医护人员经常需要在半开放过渡空间中穿戴个人防护装备（PPE）进行核酸样本采集。穿戴 PPE 会给医护人员带来明显的心理和身体压力。在这项研究中，通过现场实验使用操作温度（T）和湿球黑球温度（WBGT）来评估热条件，同时测量受试者的多项生理参数。结果表明，受试者在穿戴和不穿戴 PPE 时，在热感觉和生理参数方面存在显著差异。通过观察心率（HR）、耳道温度（T）、平均皮肤温度（MST）和呼气末 CO 压力的增加，发现受试者在穿戴 PPE 时代谢率和热量储存增加。此外，还观察到氧气浓度降低，这可能与疲劳和认知障碍有关。此外，HR、MST 和 T 呈显著线性关系，随温度和操作温度升高而升高，且 HR 对 PPE 的响应比不穿戴 PPE 时更强。中性、舒适和可接受的温度在穿戴 PPE 时明显低于不穿戴 PPE，中性 T/WBGT 的偏差为 9.5/7.1°C，舒适 T/WBGT 的偏差为 2.2/4.0°C。此外，穿戴 PPE 时可接受的 WBGT 上限为 29.4°C，不穿戴 PPE 时为 20.4°C，两者差异显著。此外，记录的受试者穿戴 PPE 时的生理参数响应和热感觉响应表明他们存在热应激风险。总的来说，这些结果表明穿戴 PPE 的人应关注自身健康和热应激。本研究为制定对抗热应激和提高热舒适度的策略提供了参考。
