Impact of olfactory disorders on personal safety & wellbeing: a
cross-sectional observational study
Abstract
Abstract Objectives: Olfactory dysfunction can expose
individuals to day-to-day safety hazards. We sought to investigate the
perceptions of safety in individuals affected with olfactory
dysfunction, quantify the incidence of hazardous events, and how safety
scares/incidents manifest through patient stories. Methods: A survey
that included questions to capture quantitative and qualitative data was
created. Responses were collected from 25th February 2022 to 28th
September 2022. The survey was distributed through Fifth Sense media
channels and open to anyone who claimed to suffer from olfactory
dysfunction. Results: Our survey collected responses from 432
individuals. The majority were female (79.6%), ages 41-70. Around a
fifth (16.7%) were non-UK residents, encompassing 21 different
countries. Covid-19 was the commonest cause of olfactory dysfunction
(22%). Majority (85.9%) were worried about any form of safety due to
their smell dysfunction. Gas, smoke and food were major concerns.
Specifically, 32.2%, 14.8%, 34.5%, 18.5% of participants have
experienced at least one food incident, gas incident, gas scare, and
work scare, respectively. Affected individuals have taken preventative
measures at home (60.2%). Conclusion: There is an unmet need in
mitigating safety concerns/events for individuals with olfactory
dysfunction. We suggest educating the public sector and high-risk
sectors such as gas companies, and introduction of safety ‘scratch and
sniff’ cards as a screening method. Regular assessment of an
individual’s olfactory ability, similar to routine assessments for other
sensory systems (sight, hearing) would allow proactive identification of
at-risk people, and allow corrective measures to take place.