Evidence map›Paper›PMID 24664384›Full record

ReviewSingapore medical journal2014

The use of facemasks to prevent respiratory infection: a literature review in the context of the Health Belief Model.

Shin Wei Sim, Kirm Seng Peter Moey, Ngiap Chuan Tan

Open access · diamondAbstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Singapore medical journal, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 109 papers, 11 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
109citing papers in PubMed, 11 pooled it
2.2field-weighted citation impact, top 12% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

109 citing papers in PubMed, 11 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 258 citations in OpenAlex.

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  9. Uptake and effectiveness of facemask against respiratory infections at mass gatherings: a systematic review.International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases · 2016
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49 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Shin Wei SimYong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, NUHS Tower Block, Level 11, 1E Kent Ridge Road, Singapore 119228. simshinwei@gmail.com.
Kirm Seng Peter Moey
Ngiap Chuan Tan
SingHealth Polyclinics · SGNational University of Singapore · SG

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionAcute respiratory infections are prevalent and pose a constant threat to society. While the use of facemasks has proven to be an effective barrier to curb the aerosol spread of such diseases, its use in the local community is uncommon, resulting in doubts being cast on its effectiveness in preventing airborne infections during epidemics. We thus aimed to conduct a literature review to determine the factors that influence the use of facemasks as a primary preventive health measure in the community.

methodsA search for publications relating to facemask usage was performed on Medline, PubMed, Google, World Health Organization and Singapore government agencies' websites, using search terms such as 'facemask', 'mask', 'influenza', 'respiratory infection', 'personal protective equipment', 'disease prevention', 'compliance' and 'adherence'. Findings were framed under five components of the Health Belief Model: perceived susceptibility, perceived benefits, perceived severity, perceived barriers and cues to action.

resultsWe found that individuals are more likely to wear facemasks due to the perceived susceptibility and perceived severity of being afflicted with life-threatening diseases. Although perceived susceptibility appeared to be the most significant factor determining compliance, perceived benefits of mask-wearing was found to have significant effects on mask-wearing compliance as well. Perceived barriers include experience or perception of personal discomfort and sense of embarrassment. Media blitz and public health promotion activities supported by government agencies provide cues to increase the public's usage of facemasks.

conclusionComplex interventions that use multipronged approaches targeting the five components of the Health Belief Model, especially perceived susceptibility, are needed to increase the use of facemasks in the community. Further studies are required to evaluate the effectiveness of implemented interventions.

Indexed as

Health Knowledge, Attitudes, PracticeMasksAdolescentAdultAge FactorsCommunicable Disease ControlEducational StatusEthnicityFemaleHealth PromotionHumansMaleRespiratory Tract InfectionsSex FactorsSingaporeYoung Adult

Identifiers

PMID24664384
PMCPMC4293989
OpenAlexW2322679365

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.