As infectious diseases circle the globe, medical costs skyrocket and the waste stream continues to grow, it is imperative to complete a comprehensive assessment of medical textiles including protective performance, costs, and environmental impacts. This BE/MUSES research is designed to address these issues through efforts of an interdisciplinary team, consisting of a polymer chemist, a chemical engineer, a public health researcher, and two social scientists, employing complementary methods to study health protective textiles. In particular, a thorough investigation of the physical, sociological, economic, life cycle, health risk, and environmental impacts of disposable and reusable protective textiles in healthcare facilities and other contexts will be conducted. Protective textiles in the medical sphere include surgical gowns, gloves, drapes, and facemasks; these may be disposable or reusable. The selection of reusable and disposable textiles is determined by many factors, such as costs, protective and comfort properties, government regulations, and social and psychological perceptions of both textiles. We are interested in the acceptance and potential impact of new medical textiles in the healthcare and other arenas related to biological and chemical protection. The specific objectives of the research are: (1) to determine the most effective, multi-functional (biocidal and water-repellent) materials for medical applications; (2) to quantitatively assess the economic, environmental, and health risk reduction impacts of using these textiles in the healthcare industry; (3) to determine the social and psychological factors affecting the acceptance of new material by healthcare workers; and (4) to educate healthcare workers, patients, and the public. This BE/MUSES project will be co-managed by program officers CTS / ENG, DMII / ENG and DMR / MPS, reflecting the breadth of expertise brought to this biocomplexity research.
