Individual-Level Heterogeneity in Mask-wearing During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Malaysia

TY - JOUR

T1 - Individual-Level Heterogeneity in Mask-wearing During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Malaysia

AU - Zhang, Stephen X.

AU - Hoe Looi, Kim

AU - Li, Nicolas

AU - Wan, Xue

AU - Li, Jizhen

N1 - We acknowledge the support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 71772103].

PY - 2021/12

Y1 - 2021/12

N2 - Wearing a face mask has been a key approach to contain or slow down the spread of COVID-19 in the ongoing pandemic. However, there is huge heterogeneity among individuals in their willingness to wear face masks during an epidemic. This research aims to investigate the individual heterogeneity to wear face masks and its associated predictors during the COVID-19 pandemic when mask-wearing was not mandatory. Based on a survey of 708 Malaysian adults and a multivariate least-squares fitting analysis, the results reveal a significant variance among individuals in wearing masks, as 34% of the individual adults did not always wear masks in public places. Female individuals, individuals who wash their hands more frequently, and those who reported more availability of personal protective equipment were more likely to practice mask-wearing. The identification of less-compliant groups of mask wearing has critical implications by enabling more specific health communication campaigns.

AB - Wearing a face mask has been a key approach to contain or slow down the spread of COVID-19 in the ongoing pandemic. However, there is huge heterogeneity among individuals in their willingness to wear face masks during an epidemic. This research aims to investigate the individual heterogeneity to wear face masks and its associated predictors during the COVID-19 pandemic when mask-wearing was not mandatory. Based on a survey of 708 Malaysian adults and a multivariate least-squares fitting analysis, the results reveal a significant variance among individuals in wearing masks, as 34% of the individual adults did not always wear masks in public places. Female individuals, individuals who wash their hands more frequently, and those who reported more availability of personal protective equipment were more likely to practice mask-wearing. The identification of less-compliant groups of mask wearing has critical implications by enabling more specific health communication campaigns.

KW - COVID-19

KW - face mask-wearing

KW - demographic predictor

KW - hygienic predictors

KW - risk identification

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85121435585

U2 - 10.4269/ajtmh.21-0566

DO - 10.4269/ajtmh.21-0566

M3 - Article

C2 - 34370702

SN - 0002-9637

VL - 105

SP - 1516

EP - 1518

JO - American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

JF - American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

IS - 6

ER -