Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to explore differences in risk awareness of COVID-19 pandemic and mask wear behavior of high school students, college students, and adults in their 30s to 60s. A total of 104 high school students (17.4 ± 0.9 yr old), 234 college students (22.8 ± 2.6 yr old), and 107 adults (43.5 ± 8.6 yr old), who live in Seoul and Gyunggi province, participated in the survey. The questionnaire consisted of 17 questions for the three groups along with additional six questions for high school and adult groups. The results showed that, compared to the other two groups, high school students were relatively less likely to look for coronavirus-related information in the media (p0.001), and they showed indifference to government’s disaster safety text messages (p0.001), low interest in classifying KF filters (80, 94, or 99) when choosing their masks, low basic knowledge of masks (disposable status, and importance of face fit) (p0.001), and the highest rate of putting on non-woven masks without certification or fabric masks. However, the adult in their 30s to 60s considered themselves to have poor respiratory health and a higher probability of coronavirus infection than other groups (p0.001). In addition, their frequency of checking coronavirus information in the media was higher (p0.001) and they had a higher tendency to actively accept government’s disaster safety text messages than other groups was shown (p0.005). College students showed the lowest anxiety about the possibility of coronavirus infection (p0.001), the highest wearing rate of KF-certified masks, and the highest satisfaction with the fit of mask (p0.05). In conclusion, it is necessary to develop the functionality and design of face masks and introduce promotional strategies that consider these age-specific characteristics, as well as government’s initiatives to ensure proper user behavior for masks is established.
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