Faculty Mentor(s)
Dr. Deanna VanKuren
Project Type
Honors Program project
Scholarship Domain(s)
Scholarship of Discovery
Presentation Type
Presentation
Abstract
BACKGROUND: This study explored the effect of masks on allergic rhinitis related to ragweed. Research has been shown that surgical and KN95 masks reduce allergic symptoms due to dust, pollen, and ragweed. A study in Israel found a strong correlation was between wearing a KN95 and reducing severe allergic rhinitis symptoms related to nasal symptoms and another study focusing on pollen supported this finding. Lastly, a previous study on ragweed found that all nasal symptoms improved, and ocular symptoms remained unchanged.
METHODS: This was a qualitative study involving twenty college students aged 18 to 25 from Olivet Nazarene University with self-reported or physician-diagnosed allergic rhinitis in the November of 2022. Data was collected manually through a modified survey from allergic specialists and analyzed using Microsoft Word displaying results on graphs for frequency.
RESULTS: The surgical mask revealed having the most effect on allergic rhinitis symptoms with a majority reporting mild nasal symptoms during the experience and no nasal symptoms after the experience. Most surgical mask-wearers felt the mask helped moderately during the experience or reduced one to two symptoms. Surgical mask-wearers reported a likeliness to wearing the mask in the future.
CONCLUSION: The study implies that the surgical mask may be an effective intervention to reduce nasal allergic rhinitis symptoms related to ragweed. A larger study and repetition of the study on another day is necessary to examine the effects of environmental change such as low or high ragweed counts, and how late allergic rhinitis is affected by mask-wearing.
Keywords: Allergic rhinitis, ragweed, masks, surgical, KN95, late allergic rhinitis
Permission Type
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Included in
The Effect of Masks on Allergic Rhinitis Symptoms Related to Ragweed and its Influence on College Students
Fishbowl
BACKGROUND: This study explored the effect of masks on allergic rhinitis related to ragweed. Research has been shown that surgical and KN95 masks reduce allergic symptoms due to dust, pollen, and ragweed. A study in Israel found a strong correlation was between wearing a KN95 and reducing severe allergic rhinitis symptoms related to nasal symptoms and another study focusing on pollen supported this finding. Lastly, a previous study on ragweed found that all nasal symptoms improved, and ocular symptoms remained unchanged.
METHODS: This was a qualitative study involving twenty college students aged 18 to 25 from Olivet Nazarene University with self-reported or physician-diagnosed allergic rhinitis in the November of 2022. Data was collected manually through a modified survey from allergic specialists and analyzed using Microsoft Word displaying results on graphs for frequency.
RESULTS: The surgical mask revealed having the most effect on allergic rhinitis symptoms with a majority reporting mild nasal symptoms during the experience and no nasal symptoms after the experience. Most surgical mask-wearers felt the mask helped moderately during the experience or reduced one to two symptoms. Surgical mask-wearers reported a likeliness to wearing the mask in the future.
CONCLUSION: The study implies that the surgical mask may be an effective intervention to reduce nasal allergic rhinitis symptoms related to ragweed. A larger study and repetition of the study on another day is necessary to examine the effects of environmental change such as low or high ragweed counts, and how late allergic rhinitis is affected by mask-wearing.
Keywords: Allergic rhinitis, ragweed, masks, surgical, KN95, late allergic rhinitis