Authors
Mark Loeb, Nancy Dafoe, James Mahony, Michael John, Alicia Sarabia, Verne Glavin, Richard Webby, Marek Smieja, David JD Earn, Sylvia Chong, Ashley Webb, Stephen D Walter
Publication date
2009/11/4
Journal
Jama
Volume
302
Issue
17
Pages
1865-1871
Publisher
American Medical Association
Description
Context
Data about the effectiveness of the surgical mask compared with the N95 respirator for protecting health care workers against influenza are sparse. Given the likelihood that N95 respirators will be in short supply during a pandemic and not available in many countries, knowing the effectiveness of the surgical mask is of public health importance.
Objective
To compare the surgical mask with the N95 respirator in protecting health care workers against influenza.
Design, Setting, and Participants
Noninferiority randomized controlled trial of 446 nurses in emergency departments, medical units, and pediatric units in 8 tertiary care Ontario hospitals.
Intervention
Assignment to either a fit-tested N95 respirator or a surgical mask when providing care to patients with febrile respiratory illness during the 2008-2009 influenza season.
Main Outcome Measures
The primary outcome was laboratory-confirmed influenza …
Total citations
Scholar articles
M Loeb, N Dafoe, J Mahony, M John, A Sarabia… - Jama, 2009