title: The education and practice program for medical students with quantitative and qualitative fit test for respiratory protective equipment.
abstract: Tuberculosis infection is prevalent in Korea and health care workers are vulnerable to tuberculosis infection in the hospital. The aims of this study were to develop and validate an education program that teaches senior medical students how to wear and choose the proper size and type of respiratory protective equipment (RPE), which may help reduce the risk of contracting Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) from patients. Overall, 50 senior medical students participated in this education program. Methods of choosing the proper type of RPE, performing a fit check of the RPE, and choosing a suitable mask size were taught by certified instructors using the real-time quantitative fit test (QNFT). The validity of education program was evaluated with qualitative fit test (QLFT) before and after the education as pass or fail. The education program was effective, as shown by the significantly pass rate (increased 30 to 74%) in the QLFT after the education program (p<0.05). Among study participants, changing mask size from medium to small significantly increased the pass rate (p<0.001). Incorporation of this program into the medical school curriculum may help reduce risk of MTB infection in medical students working in the hospital.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jun-Pyo
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Myong
authors.forename: JunSu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Byun
authors.forename: YounMo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Hye-Kyung
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Jung-Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Baek
authors.forename: Jung-Wan
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Koo
authors.forename: Hyunwook
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000193:education*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012134:Respiratory Protective Devices; D013337:Students, Medical; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000517:prevention & control*