Gastrointestinal symptoms associated with PPE use among nurses in COVID-19 wards: a cross-sectional study.

Gastrointestinal symptoms are prevalent among nurses in COVID-19 isolation wards and are strongly associated with personal protective equipment-induced discomfort, psychological stress, and sleep disturbances.

Although the cross-sectional design precludes causal inference, these findings underscore an urgent need for the ergonomic optimization of personal protective equipment to alleviate heat stress and physical burden.