A Sociodemographic Profile of Mask Use During the COVID-19 Outbreak Among Young and Elderly Individuals in Brazil: Online Survey Study

Rodrigo L Vancini; Luiz Camargo-Neto; Marilia S Andrade; Claudio A de Lira; Rafaela G Dos Santos; Pantelis T Nikolaidis; Beat Knechtle; Luiz Hv Piacezzi; Maria Cb Teixeira-Lopes; Ruth E Assayag-Batista; Meiry F Pinto-Okuno; Cássia R Vancini-Campanharo

doi:10.2196/28989

A Sociodemographic Profile of Mask Use During the COVID-19 Outbreak Among Young and Elderly Individuals in Brazil: Online Survey Study

JMIR Aging. 2021 Sep 14;4(3):e28989. doi: 10.2196/28989.

Affiliations

¹ Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Espírito Santo, Brazil.
² Escola Paulista de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
³ Departamento de Fisiologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
⁴ Setor de Fisiologia Humana e do Exercício, Faculdade de Educação Física e Dança, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil.
⁵ Campus X, Teixeira de Freitas, Universidade do Estado da Bahia, Bahia, Brazil.
⁶ School of Health and Caring Sciences, University of West Attica, Athens, Greece.
⁷ Institute of Primary Care, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland.
⁸ Medbase St. Gallen Am Vadianplat, St. Gallen, Switzerland.

PMID: 34253508
PMCID: PMC8448082
DOI: 10.2196/28989

Abstract

Background: Sociodemographic variables may impact decision making regarding safety measures. The use and selection of adequate face masks is a safety and health measure that could help minimize the spread of COVID-19 infection.

Objective: This study aims to examine sociodemographic variables and factors relating to COVID-19 that could impact decision making or the choice to use or not use face masks in the prevention and care of a possible COVID-19 infection among a large sample of younger and older Brazilian people.

Methods: An online survey composed of 14 closed-ended questions about sociodemographic variables and COVID-19 was used. A total of 2673 participants consisted of Brazilian people (aged ≥18 years) from different states of Brazil and were grouped according to age (≤59 years and ≥60 years). To compare the variables of interest (associated with wearing a face mask or not), chi-square and likelihood ratio tests were used (with P<.05 being significant).

Results: Most of the participants in both groups were women from the southeast region who had postgraduate degrees. Approximately 61% (1452/2378) of individuals aged ≤59 years and 67.8% (200/295) of those aged ≥60 years were not health professionals. In the group aged ≤59 years, 83.4% (1983/2378) did not show COVID-19 signs and symptoms, and 97.3% (2314/2378) were not diagnosed with COVID-19. In the older adult group, 92.5% (273/295) did not show signs and symptoms of COVID-19, and 98.3% (290/295) were not diagnosed with the disease. The majority of the participants in both groups reported using face masks, and their decision to use face masks was influenced by the level of education and their occupation as a health professional.

Conclusions: Younger and older adults have worn face masks during the COVID-19 outbreak. It is difficult to measure how much of a positive impact this attitude, habit, and behavior could have on the degree of infection and spread of the disease. However, it can be a positive indicator of adherence to the population's security and safety measures during the pandemic.

Keywords: COVID-19; adolescents; aging; face mask; older adults; online media; pandemic; social media; sociodemographic profile.

©Rodrigo L Vancini, Luiz Camargo-Neto, Marilia S Andrade, Claudio A de Lira, Rafaela G dos Santos, Pantelis T Nikolaidis, Beat Knechtle, Luiz HV Piacezzi, Maria CB Teixeira-Lopes, Ruth E Assayag-Batista, Meiry F Pinto-Okuno, Cássia R Vancini-Campanharo. Originally published in JMIR Aging (https://aging.jmir.org), 14.09.2021.