Health sciences students' perception of the communicative impacts of face coverings during the COVID-19 pandemic at a South African University.
Nasim B Khan, Nolwazi Mthembu, Aishwarya Narothan and 2 others
PMID 35924608WHAT IT FOUND
Health science students reported that masks make hearing and reading emotions difficult, leading to anxiety and increased listening effort.
They compensated by speaking louder, using more gestures, and focusing on eye contact. Students suggested clear masks, slower speech, and written information to improve clinical communication.
Key findings
01Most students found it moderately difficult to hear through masks and reported using more listening effort.
02Students changed their speech patterns by speaking louder and using bigger hand gestures and more eye contact when wearing masks.
03Participants reported feeling anxious and frustrated when they could not understand masked speakers, particularly in clinical or educational settings.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study used convenience sampling from a single university, so the results cannot be generalised to all health science students or practitioners. Data were self-reported perceptions rather than objective measures of communication breakdowns or acoustic effects. The sample was heavily skewed towards female participants (85.3%) and third-year students, which may limit the applicability of findings to other demographics or experience levels. The study was conducted during the pandemic, so perceptions may be influenced by the specific context and anxiety related to the virus itself.
Declared interests
No specific funding sources or conflicts of interest were declared in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret these student perceptions as evidence that masks objectively cause communication errors in clinical practice. The study reports how students felt and thought they behaved, not how patients actually responded or whether clinical outcomes were affected. Additionally, because the sample was from a single university and heavily female, these views may not represent all therapists or patients.