MASD AWARENESS DAY

After a successful event last year, MASD Awareness Day is back. And from now on, it’s set to be celebrated on an annual basis.

This year, MASD Awareness Day is happening on 16th March 2023. It’s a chance to raise the profile of MASD and to #thinkMASD. It’s the perfect opportunity to talk about:

• The most at-risk patients
• How to recognise MASD
• How to prevent MASD
• How to treat MASD

But first, let’s start by looking at a few basics. What is moisture-associated skin damage? And what are the goals of MASD Awareness Day?

What is MASD?

MASD stands for moisture-associated skin damage. It’s an umbrella term that covers four different types of skin damage, all caused by prolonged exposure to moisture. These are:

• Incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD) – caused by incontinence
• Intertriginous dermatitis – caused by perspiration
• Peri-wound moisture-associated dermatitis – caused by wound exudate
• Peristomal moisture-associated dermatitis – caused by a stoma device

Moisture sources vary depending on the type of MASD. But they include sweat, blood, saliva, urine, stool, and wound exudate.

The location of skin damage also varies depending on the type of MASD. For example, in cases of intertriginous dermatitis, skin damage is more likely to be located in skin folds. But in cases of peristomal moisture-associated dermatitis, skin damage is located around the stoma site.

Symptoms of MASD include skin inflammation and irritation. When left untreated, this can lead to skin breakdown and infection.

But unfortunately, MASD is a common problem. It has been shown to affect 23.8% of patients who have a longer than 48-hour stay in intensive care. Patients most likely to be affected by MASD include those in critical care, people with a stoma, and the elderly.

What is the goal of MASD Awareness Day?

There is concern amongst the healthcare community that MASD is too often overlooked. Staff don’t recognise the problem and, therefore, fail to provide timely treatment. This means patients are left feeling uncomfortable and suffer unnecessary complications.

That’s where the idea of an annual MASD Awareness day came from.

By dedicating one day a year to MASD Awareness, the organisers want more people to #thinkMASD. They want to encourage people to develop strategies designed to prevent MASD in their own healthcare settings. That way more people know how to recognise and how to manage MASD.

To achieve this, they’re providing MINIMISE Moisture™ resources — posters and an educational leaflet for both staff and patients. (MINIMISE Moisture™ is a campaign that shares clinical guidance and protocols for preventing and treating MASD).

There are also a number of MASD Awareness Day webinars that are free to attend. Between 7th March and 17th March, you’ll find the following:

• Best Practice Recommendations: Prevention and Management of Moisture-Associated Skin Damage (MASD)
• Prevention and Management of Intertriginous Dermatitis (ID)
• How MINIMISE Moisture™ is Helping to Prevent and Manage MASD. What Could You Do?

At Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, the MINIMISE Moisture™ program led 96% of staff surveyed to say they were better able to identify patients at risk of MASD. It also led to a threefold reduction in MASD cases.

By raising awareness of MASD, and educating healthcare staff on risk factors, prevention, and care, the goal is to repeat this story of success in healthcare settings across the country.

What can you do to help?

There are lots of ways you can get involved with MASD Awareness Day.

Start by registering on the MASD Awareness Day site to get a digital campaign pack and invitations to the webinars that they’re running.

You can also contribute to the conversation by using #thinkMASD across your social media channels.

Take the time to think about MASD in your own healthcare setting.

Do staff know how to identify and report cases of MASD? Are they familiar with the S.M.A.R.T. classification resource? And do you have the MASD toolkit you need to treat moisture-associated skin damage when it occurs?

Here at Medicareplus, we offer a range of products for use in the prevention and treatment of MASD.

Our barrier cream is useful for treating mild cases of MASD. It can also be used to prevent MASD from developing in the first place. You simply apply the cream to the skin to create a waterproof barrier, then cover the treated skin with a dressing.

For more serious cases of MASD, we recommend our barrier film. By applying this thin, translucent film to the affected area, you create a protective, waterproof barrier that lasts for up to 72 hours.

Want more information on supporting patients at risk of MASD? Then visit the Medicareplus blog or take a look at our full skin protectants product range.