Is face shape associated with fitness of respiratory personal protective equipment-N95 masks?

This study investigates the impact of face shape on the pass rate of personal protective equipment N95 mask fit tests among Taiwanese healthcare workers (HCWs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fit tests are crucial for controlling and preventing infection, but research indicates that face shape can affect the test's effectiveness. HCWs underwent a qualitative fit test and were categorized into round, square, long, and oval face shapes based on their profile pictures. A total of 352 HCWs participated the intervention, and 287 participants passed the test, among those participants, long shaped face had a passing rate of 80.2% and oval-shaped faces was 91.7%, while round-shaped faces had the lowest passing rate of 42.9%. This study reveals that long and oval shaped face participants in Taiwanese healthcare workers have a higher fitting rate than round-shaped participants, indicating better mask fit test pass rates.