During the COVID-19 pandemic, personal protective measures such as face masks are considered crucial for reducing infection risk among both the healthcare workers and general population (HCWs), provided they are used correctly. This study aimed to evaluate whether Polish HCWs follow the 2020 World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for proper mask use. A cross-sectional survey was conducted, with 1,156 participants responding to an online questionnaire assessing mask-related behaviors. Only 1.4% of respondents fully adhered to all WHO criteria, regardless of their medical profession, specialty, or workplace setting. Compliance was highest for criterion 1 (C1: properly covering the nose and mouth with the mask; 90.8%), criterion 4 (C4: washing or disinfecting hands after touching or removing the mask; 49%), and criterion 3 (C3: removing the mask without touching its front surface; 43.4%), whereas criterion 2 (C2: avoiding touching the mask with hands) had the lowest adherence at 6.8%. Healthcare workers experiencing mask-induced itch (31.6%) were less likely to follow C2 (odds ratio 0.53; p = 0.01). These findings indicate that full adherence to the 2020 WHO mask guidelines is rare among Polish HCWs, and compliance with individual recommendations varies, potentially influenced by skin-related issues and other factors. Improving adherence in the future is essential to enhance HCW safety and reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission.
