ArticleNeuropsychiatric disease and treatment2024
Effect of Surgical Masks and N95 Respirators on Anxiety.
Article in Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed, 4 citations in OpenAlex.
- Risks and benefits of face masks in children.Frontiers in pediatrics · 2026Review
- Effects of face coverings on people and interactions in mental health settings: scoping review.BJPsych open · 2025Review
- Potential Impacts of Prolonged Face Mask Use on Temporomandibular Joint Health as Neglected Lifestyle Repercussions of COVID-19 Pandemic-A Narrative Review.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2024Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
11 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Purpose: Masks are designed to reduce the spread of airborne pathogens, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), although wearing a mask has some adverse effects. The primary objective of this study was to explore the effects of surgical masks and N95 respirators on patients diagnosed with anxiety. Methods: Subjects diagnosed with first-episode anxiety disorders were recruited from outpatient departments between February and July, 2023. A self-administered questionnaire was administered at baseline and at follow-up. The questionnaire addressed demographic information, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). Subjects were divided into three groups (n=30 each): control (no mask); surgical mask; and N95 respirator. The Kruskal-Wallis test and repeated measures analysis of variance were used to examine associations between face mask use and emotion. Results: Ninety subjects completed the study, of whom 51 (56.67%) were male and 39 (43.33%) were female. Time and group effects were observed in HAM-A score among the 3 groups. After 4 weeks, mean (± SD) HAM-A score decreased from 32.63±13.37 to 28.07±9.33 in the control group, increased from 33.67±12.47 to 36.80±10.32 in the surgical mask group, and from 32.33±14.73 to 41.13±8.29 in the N95 respirator group, with no sex differences among the 3 groups. HAM-A score was significantly higher in the mask groups than that in the control group at follow-up. Only N95 respirator group exhibited significant time effects on HAM-D and ISI scores, with a decreasing trend in HAM-D score and an opposite trend in ISI score. Conclusion: Prolonged mask use may exacerbate anxiety, especially among those wearing N95 respirator masks. In a post-pandemic environment, governments should improve public health beliefs regarding coronavirus disease 2019 and promote the safety of face mask use, thus reducing the physiological and psychological effects of improper mask use.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.