Gauze Swabs Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2023 - 2028)

The gauze swabs market is expected to register a CAGR of 5.3% over the forecast period.

The COVID-19 outbreak impacted the healthcare sector as well as the gauze swabs market since hospitals and healthcare services were reduced due to social distancing measures taken by governments worldwide during the initial phase. The COVID-19 pandemic greatly impacted the functioning of general hospital care for non-COVID-19 patients globally. According to an article published by the American Journal of Managed Care in September 2021, a significant percentage of patients with chronic wounds delayed preventative and emergent wound care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Such delays impacted the growth of the market adversely. However, in the post-pandemic scenario, surgical procedures are normally taking place. Thus, the market is expected to have stable growth during the forecast period of the study.

The major factors responsible for the market's growth are cost-effective, skin-friendly gauze swabs and technological advancements in wound care. Moreover, factors such as increasing road, household, and sports accidents requiring gauze swabs are driving the market to a certain extent. For instance, as per the study published by PubMed in May 2021, the average injury rate was found to be 2.64 per 1000 in Spain. Three contact sports presented the highest injury rate: soccer (7.21), judo (4.82), and basketball (4.31).

Moreover, according to an article published by PubMed Central in July 2022, a study was conducted in Ethiopia which showed that out of 354 victims of road traffic accidents, fracture was the most common one with 71.1% prevalence, particularly lower limb fracture (42.1%). The article also stated that more than half victims (59.5%) had open wounds, and that 51.8% of the people experienced road traffic accidents while crossing or walking along the way.

The high cost of dressings is the major factor that is expected to impede the market’s growth over the forecast period.

Gauze Swabs Market Trends

Sterile Gauze Swabs Segment is Expected to Hold a Significant Market Share Over the Forecast Period

Sterile gauze swabs are used for temporary dressing and are more popular as the healing process is much faster and they do not stick to the wound, making further dressing change procedures much easier. These advantages of sterile gauze swabs make this segment comparatively higher than non-sterile gauze swabs. Moreover, hospitals and diagnostic laboratories adopt these sterile gauze swabs for several surgeries, which promotes segment growth.

According to data published by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in 2021, 412,432 road accidents took place in India in 2021, which caused injuries to 384,448 persons. The worst affected age group in road accidents was 18-45 years.

Moreover, factors such as the increased prevalence of diabetic foot ulcers are one of the major factors responsible for the market segment’s growth. According to an article published by Frontiers in October 2022, a study was performed in Pakistan, which showed that the prevalence of diabetic foot ulcers increased to almost 19.54% in 2022. Moreover, increasing research on wound care and healing is also expected to boost the adoption of surgical gauze swabs in surgical procedures.

North America is Expected to Hold a Significant Share in the Market Over the Forecast Period

North America is expected to hold a significant market share in the global gauze swabs market attributed to increasing healthcare expenditure, the presence of well-established healthcare infrastructure, and the aging population in the United States. The aging population is more prone to various types of surgeries, such as those related to cardiac, pulmonary, and abdominal diseases, among many more, where these products are widely used. Furthermore, the increasing incidence of accidents is also promoting the adoption of gauze swabs and fuelling the growth of the overall regional market to a large extent.

According to the data from the National Safety Council, in 2021, 3.2 million people were treated in emergency departments for injuries involving sports and recreational equipment in the United States. The activities most frequently associated with injuries are exercise, cycling, and basketball. Additionally, according to 2021 statistics by the Brain Injury Research Institute, about 1.6 million to 3.8 million recreation and sports-related concussions occur yearly in the United States. With rising sports injuries, the incidence rate of visiting hospitals and doctors for the treatment of these injuries is increasing, subsequently boosting the demand for gauze swabs.

Moreover, a higher number of sports injuries in Canada is also expected to enhance the market growth in the region. For instance, according to an article published by SpringerLink in September 2022, a questionnaire-based survey was conducted in Canada which showed that the rates of injury ranged from 12.7 injuries per 100 participants per year in rugby, and to 33.1 injuries per 100 participants per year in ice hockey.

Furthermore, according to the data published by Statistics Canada in July 2022, around 7,330,605 people are aged 65 years or older in Canada, and this accounts for 18.8% of the total population. The increasing geriatric population in the region is also expected to enhance the market growth, as old age is often associated with diseases such as diabetic foot ulcers.

Gauze Swabs Industry Overview

The gauze swabs market is fragmented due to the presence of several companies operating globally and regionally. Some companies currently dominating the market are Cardinal Health, 3M, Johnson & Johnson, Medline Industries Inc., Winner Medical Group Inc., BSN Medical, Aero Healthcare, and Baxter International.

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