To Assess the Frequency of Face Mask Practices and Attitudes during the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic?An Online Survey
Author(s): Ahmed Farhan*, Aadil Farooq, Hassan-ur-Rehman and Rabail Chaudhry
Abstract
Objective: COVID-19 is a viral infection that primarily spreads via respiratory droplets. No definitive treatment is accessible at the moment. As the therapy of the infection is still a matter of debate and under consideration. Hence, prevention by means of appropriately use of face mask is the key measure to restrict the spread of infection. Therefore, this survey was designed to assess the practices and attitudes towards the use of face mask to avoid the spread of infection. Methodology: This was an observational study conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire during the COVID-19 pandemic from June 2020 to December 2020. The questionnaire consisted of two parts :(1) Four questions related to basic demographic characteristics (gender, education, marital status, and occupation), and (2)Seven questions related to knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding the use of face mask to restrict the spread of COVID-19 infection. The information gained from the participants was entered and analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16. Frequencies, Percentages, and Means of relevant variables were calculated. Results: A total of 591 participants were registered with a mean age of 31.144 ± 9.02 years, out of which 344 (58.2%) were males and 247 (41.8%) were females. Most participants 467(79.0%) agreed to wearing a face mask out of home, 492(83.2%) used surgical masks followed by 58(9.8%) used N-95 mask. Most participants 270(45.7%) changed their mask daily. 291(49.2%) participants assured that mask will protect from getting infection while 256(43.3%) participants supposed that mask might be protected from getting infection Conclusion: This study concludes that knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding the use of face masks were found to be satisfactory. Most of the participants believed that use of face mask prevents the spread of Covid -19pandemic.