Factors Influencing Wearing Face Mask in Public During COVID-19 Outbreak: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Objective: Wearing face masks is believed to mitigate COVID-19 virus transmission by filtering respiratory droplets. This study was to explore the factors influencing wearing face masks in public in China during COVID-19 outbreak. Methods: This study was a qualitative semi-structured interview research design and was guided by the Protection Motivation Theory. Participants from Jiangxi Province China were interviewed via WeChat video call. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Results: Recruitment efforts were suspended when 21 participants (aged 23 to 72) were successfully enrolled and the data reached thematic saturation. Four themes were identified when participants described factors influencing them to wear face masks: knowledge of disease (subthemes were severity of disease, and individual vulnerability to disease), environmental facilitators and constraints (subthemes were government recommendations, public opinion, and affordability and availability of face masks), understanding of protection effectiveness (subthemes were protection effectiveness of wearing face masks, and selection of protective measures), and past experiences. Conclusions: Individuals’ decision to wear face masks was influenced by the combination of factors identified. Identification of these factors provides guidance for explaining wearing face masks in public and helps policy makers develop feasible recommendations for wearing face masks during COVID-19 outbreak.

Factors associated with wearing a facemask in shops in England following removal of a legal requirement to do so during the COVID‐19 pandemic

“…This is in line with previous research (Armitage et al, 2023;Chen & Lei, 2022;He et al, 2022;White et al, 2022), and theories of health behaviour (Rogers, 1975). Similar to previous research, we found that rates of wearing a facemask were higher when it was legally obligated (Badillo-Goicoechea et al, 2021;He et al, 2022). For all but two psychological factors associated with wearing a facemask, these associations were significantly stronger when legal requirements were not in place, compared to when they were.…”

“…This is in line with previous research (Armitage et al, 2023; Chen & Lei, 2022; He et al, 2022; White et al, 2022), and theories of health behaviour (Rogers, 1975). Similar to previous research, we found that rates of wearing a facemask were higher when it was legally obligated (Badillo‐Goicoechea et al, 2021; He et al, 2022).…”

“…Wearing a facemask was associated with higher perceived severity of COVID‐19, higher perceived susceptibility to COVID‐19, higher perceived effectiveness of masks and higher self‐efficacy (Chen & Lei, 2022; White et al, 2022). Qualitative data have also identified the influence of government recommendations, perceived effectiveness and perceived vulnerability to infection in the decision to wear a facemask (He et al, 2022).…”

A Cross-Sectional Study and Observational Assessment of Shoppers’ COVID-19 Prevention Behaviors in Southwestern Ontario, Canada

“…Due to the unintrusive nature of this study, shoppers were not approached to collect these characteristics and other sociodemographic information (eg, age, income, education) known to be determinants of these preventive health behaviors. 13,17,19 As the pandemic evolves over time, the practice of these behaviors and public perceptions surrounding them may change. Therefore, these findings provide only a cross-section of observed practices and may not reflect true variability in outcomes at each establishment or over time.…”

“…Studies have identified factors that predict favorable health behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic, though many have focused on self-reported measures, qualitative methods, and assessed them while restrictions were in place. 13,[17][18][19] Few research studies have assessed COVID-19 preventive behaviors in community settings using observational methods. 20,21 Therefore, there is a need to fill this gap and further our understanding by conducting a cross-sectional study to evaluate current COVID-19 preventive behaviors among the public in the Canadian context, especially in the absence of COVID-19 regulatory health policies.…”