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Mask use during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A descriptive survey in South Korea
Author(s) -
Kim Hyo Jung,
Han Song Yi
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
nursing and health sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.563
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1442-2018
pISSN - 1441-0745
DOI - 10.1111/nhs.12942
Subject(s) - covid-19 , pandemic , descriptive statistics , psychology , public health , dignity , medicine , social psychology , disease , nursing , infectious disease (medical specialty) , political science , statistics , mathematics , pathology , virology , outbreak , law
Extensive research on the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) is underway. However, there are not many studies on the use of masks, which are essential for infection prevention. This descriptive study aimed to understand the factors influencing the use of masks by Korean adults during COVID‐19. We conducted an online survey with 280 adults in South Korea between August and September 2020, analyzing the data using SPSS version 24.0. Multiple regression analyses were performed to understand the factors that influence individuals' use of masks. The participants' perceived susceptibility, perceived barriers, other people's dignity, compliance with public order, reasonable decision making, and subjective norms explained 21.6% of mask use. Mask use is expected to increase further if people perceive a personal need to wear masks, if their peers perceive the importance of mask use, and if they possess civic consciousness that considers society as a whole. This paper makes a significant contribution to the field of public health, with evidence‐based recommendations for increasing mask use, going beyond simply attributing mask use to individual preferences.