Motivations of Wearing Face Mask: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which initially appeared in China in December 2019 and has since spread to most countries in the global. Initial preventive recommendations called for the use of masks for protection against infection. To reduce COVID-19 transmission in the community. The purpose of this study was to assess motivation factors for wearing surgical face masks and investigate reasons for not wearing face coverings, and gain insights from our study population about messaging strategies. Methods: A cross-sectional Descriptive study of 297 administrative staff of Hawler Medical University was conducted from February to October 2022. The data was gathered through direct interviews using a questionnaire that had been modified, include socio-demographic information and fifteen questions about the reason participants want to use face covering. The data were analyzed by Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS version 25). Chi-square and Fisher's Exact tests were used to determine the study's result. The P-value was considered significant at ≤ 0.05. Results: The result revealed the highest percentage of the administrative staff was 34-46 years old (54.3%). Most of the participants in this study were female (55.6 %). Half of the participants demonstrated a high level of motivation (51.9 %). The highest level of motivation was related to "I want to protect people who are vulnerable (85.7%) and "I feel a responsibility to wear a facemask (81.9%) and wearing a facemask could prevent me from giving COVID-19 to the family (80.9%). Conclusion: The studied sample had a high motivational level for wearing a face mask; the desire to protect people who are vulnerable and the feeling of responsibility to wear a face mask and oneself are often the driving motivation for using face coverings.