Barriers to Mask Wearing for Influenza‐like Illnesses Among Urban Hispanic Households
- 15 December 2010
- journal article
- Published by Wiley in Public Health Nursing
- Vol. 28 (1), 13-23
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1525-1446.2010.00918.x
Abstract
To identify barriers to mask wearing and to examine the factors associated with the willingness to wear masks among households. We used data sources from a study assessing the impact of 3 nonpharmaceutical interventions on the rates of influenza: exit interviews; home visits with a subset of the mask group; and a focus group. Risk perception score, univariate analysis, and logistic regression were conducted to identify the characteristics and predictors of mask use. Thematic barriers to mask wearing were identified from qualitative data obtained at home visits and focus group. Respondents from the mask group, when compared with the nonmask group, demonstrated higher risk perception scores concerning influenza (maximum score: 60, means: 37.6 and 30.2, p<.001) and increased perception of effectiveness of mask wearing (maximum score: 10, means: 7.8 and 7.3, p=.043). There was no significant association between demographic, attitudinal, or knowledge variables and adherence to wearing masks. Thematic barriers were identified such as social acceptability of mask use, comfort and fit, and perception of the risk/need for masks. Face masks may not be an effective intervention for seasonal or pandemic influenza unless the risk perception of influenza is high. Dissemination of culturally appropriate mask use information by health authorities and providers must be emphasized when educating the public.Keywords
This publication has 22 references indexed in Scilit:
- Nonpharmaceutical Interventions for Pandemic Influenza, National and Community MeasuresEmerging Infectious Diseases, 2012
- Changes in knowledge, perceptions, preventive behaviours and psychological responses in the pre-community outbreak phase of the H1N1 epidemicEpidemiology and Infection, 2010
- Who is that masked person: The use of face masks on Mexico City public transportation during the Influenza A (H1N1) outbreakHealth Policy, 2010
- Face Mask Use and Control of Respiratory Virus Transmission in HouseholdsEmerging Infectious Diseases, 2009
- Professional and Home-Made Face Masks Reduce Exposure to Respiratory Infections among the General PopulationPLOS ONE, 2008
- Preliminary Findings of a Randomized Trial of Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions to Prevent Influenza Transmission in HouseholdsPLOS ONE, 2008
- Public Response to Community Mitigation Measures for Pandemic InfluenzaEmerging Infectious Diseases, 2008
- Physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of respiratory viruses: systematic reviewBMJ, 2007
- Disrupting the Transmission of Influenza A: Face Masks and Ultraviolet Light as Control MeasuresAmerican Journal of Public Health, 2007
- Anticipated and current preventive behaviors in response to an anticipated human-to-human H5N1 epidemic in the Hong Kong Chinese general populationBMC Infectious Diseases, 2007