ArticleInfection, disease & health2021
Appropriate attitude promotes mask wearing in spite of a significant experience of varying discomfort.
Article in Infection, disease & health, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers.
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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.
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.
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Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed.
- How Healthcare Teams Appear to the Observer-An Approach to the Complexities of Mask-Wearing Attitudes During the COVID-19 Pandemic.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025Article
- The complex interplay between risk tolerance and the spread of infectious diseases.Journal of the Royal Society, Interface · 2025Article
- The mask paradox between perception of discomfort and reality of physiological effects in healthy college students in China: a panel study.BMC public health · 2024Article
- Social divisions and risk perception drive divergent epidemics and large later waves.Evolutionary human sciences · 2023Article
- Article
- The contribution of respiratory and hearing protection use to psychological distress in the workplace: a scoping review.International archives of occupational and environmental health · 2022Article
- Mask wearing in community settings reduces SARS-CoV-2 transmission.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2022Article
- Modeling COVID-19 Mortality Across 44 Countries: Face Covering May Reduce Deaths.American journal of preventive medicine · 2022Article
- Mask-wearing intentions on airplanes during COVID-19 - Application of theory of planned behavior model.Transport policy · 2022Article
- Perceived Effectiveness and Sustainability of Face Masks Among German Citizens During the 2nd Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic-A Cross-Sectional Study.Frontiers in public health · 2022Article
- Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Virus (COVID-19) Preventative Measures on Communication: A Scoping Review.Frontiers in public health · 2022Article
- Anxiety, depression, psychological stress and coping style in medical postgraduates in southeastern China when restricted to commuting between the campus and hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundDespite increasing evidence to support mask effectiveness in mitigating the spread of COVID-19, there is still raging controversy regarding the use of masks. Evaluation of public perceptions, attitudes and the individuals' experience towards mask-wearing is integral to ensuring reasonable compliance and allows authorities to address concerns held by the population.
methodsA cross-sectional survey of lay-people was conducted within a high volume tertiary level institution in Singapore, from 16 October to 16 November 2020. Surveys administered evaluated five questions: 1) duration of mask wear per day, 2) mask-type used, 3) perceived necessity, 4) discomfort level experienced and 5) causes for discomfort.
resultsOut of 402 respondents, 67.2% primarily wore disposable surgical masks. 72% felt mask-wearing was necessary to control COVID-19 transmission. 78.4% reported discomfort while wearing masks, with mean discomfort levels of 4.21 out of 10. Impairment to breathing and communication difficulties were the most common discomforts faced. Younger respondents complained of higher incidence of dermatological issues and sweating (p < 0.05). Respondents who wore masks for longer duration reported higher incidence of dermatological issues (p = 0.001) and sweating (p = 0.032). CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: Even with an available vaccine, adjunctive public health measures such as mask-wearing will likely continue in order to curb COVID-19 transmission. Experience from past pandemics is likely to propagate self-protective behavior within a community. Our study identified several common mask-wearing discomforts, allowing respective organizations valuable market feedback for research and development. With appropriate public attitudes, effective mask-wearing compliance can be attained in a concerted effort against the coronavirus.
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Registered trials
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.