Headache Associated With Personal Protective Equipment In Healthcare Workers During Covid-19 Outbreak In A Referral Centre In Mexico

Objective: To describe the characteristics of headache associated to PPE Background: The COVID19 pandemic made it necessary to use personal protective equipment, but this has been related to a type of headache of which we do not know its characteristics, and due to the prolongation of this pandemic we require better knowledge. Design/Methods: We developed an analytical, longitudinal, prospective observational study. In a referral centre for COVID19 in Mexico, from May 22 to June 19, 2020. We invited healthcare workers regardless of whether they had headaches to avoid selection bias and they signed informed consent to then answer an online questionaire designed for this purpose. Results: 268 health workers answered the questionaire, were female 181 (67.5%), aged 28 (25- 34) years, occupation nurse 177 (66%). The frecuency of headache associated to PPE was 210(78.4%) and the risk factors were age (>30 years) 2.43 (1.17-5.06, p 0.018), sex (woman) 3.50 (1.76-6.98, p 30 years) 2.18(1.29-3.68, p 0.003), occupation (other than physician) 2.27(1.21-4.26, p 0.011), Migraine 2.80(1.33-5.92, p 0.007) and eye protection use (>2 hours) 2.37(1.20-4.67, 0.012) in the model 2 (moderate to severe headache). Conclusions: The frecuency of headache associated to PPE is high, and the moderate to severe headache and the bordersome symptons (nauseas or vomiting) too and that could have significant repercussions. We need more epidemiological studies to improve the knowledge and try to work in modificable risk factors (PPE) or others preventives strategies.