Factors associated with COVID-19 masking behavior: an application of the Health Belief Model
Year: 2022
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Wearing a face mask is effective in minimizing the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among unvaccinated individuals and preventing severe illness among the vaccinated. Country, state and local guidelines promote, and at times mandate, mask-wearing despite it being publicly perceived as an individual's choice. Guided by the Health Belief Model (HBM), structural equation modeling was used to analyze longitudinal data in a sample of US adults aged 18-49 years to identify constructs that contribute to face mask-wearing. Results indicated that perceived COVID-19 severity, perceived masking benefits and self-efficacy were positively associated with masking behavior, and masking barriers were negatively associated with masking behavior. Perceived susceptibility to COVID-19 and cues to action were nonsignificant correlates of masking behavior. These results' theoretical and practical implications contribute to the literature on the HBM and the COVID-19 pandemic. Future directions and limitations are discussed.
Source: Health Education Research
DOI: 10.1093/her/cyac031
Institutions: University of Delaware, Banner Alzheimer’s Institute
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
Awards: NIDCR/NIH: R21 Misleading messages, Ambivalent attitudes: Teen beliefs about sports drinks, Establishing the science behind Alzheimer's recruitment registries: opportunities for increasing diversity and accelerating enrollment into trials, Arizona Alzheimer's Disease Core Center, Arizona Alzheimer's Disease Research Center
OpenAlex ID: W4306874643