Department of Epidemiology, Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute (EBPI), University of Zurich, Switzerland.
Swiss Med Wkly. 2022 Apr 20;152:w30165. doi: 10.4414/smw.2022.w30165. eCollection 2022 Apr 11.
Mask wearing contributes to the reduction of transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In Switzerland, compulsory use of masks was introduced in indoor public spaces and later in schools. This study explored perceptions of the usefulness of masks in school and public in a cohort of children and adolescents in the canton of Zurich, Switzerland, in January to May 2021.
School children aged 10 to 17 years enrolled in Ciao Corona, a prospective school-based cohort study, responded to nested online surveys between 12 January and 24 March 2021 (Q1) and 10 March and 16 May 2021 (Q2). Secondary school children were surveyed at Q1 and Q2, and primary school children at Q2 only. Surveys for parents and their children included questions on the children's perception of the usefulness of masks and mask wearing behaviour by applying a non-validated questionnaire. Associations between perceived usefulness of masks and child's school level and gender, and parents' educational attainment were analysed with Pearson's and McNemar's chi-square tests. Free-text comments provided by children were classified into categories of expressed attitude towards mask wearing.
A total of 595 (54% girls) and 1118 (52% girls) school children with predominantly Swiss nationality and a high socioeconomic status responded to online questionnaires at Q1 and Q2, respectively. More than half of the school children perceived masks to be useful at school (Q1: 60% and Q2: 57%) and in public (Q1: 69% and Q2 :60%). Girls perceived masks as useful more often than boys (at Q2 at school: 61% versus 53%, in public: 64% versus 57%), and children of parents with high educational attainment more often than those of parents with lower educational attainment (at Q2 at school: 61% versus 49%, in public: 63% versus 54%). At Q1 and Q2 each, about 20% of children provided individual statements about masks, of which 36% at Q1 and 16% at Q2 reported side effects and discomfort such as skin irritations, headache or difficulties breathing during physical education.
Approximately 60% of school children perceived masks at school and in public places as useful. A small but non-negligible proportion of children reported discomfort and side effects that should be considered to ensure high adherence to mask wearing among school children. A validation of the questionnaire is needed.
佩戴口罩有助于降低严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒 2（SARS-CoV-2）的传播。在瑞士，室内公共场所和后来的学校都强制使用口罩。本研究于 2021 年 1 月至 5 月在瑞士苏黎世州的一个儿童和青少年队列中，探索了他们对学校和公共场所口罩使用的有用性的看法。
10 至 17 岁的在校儿童参加了 Ciao Corona，这是一项前瞻性的基于学校的队列研究，他们在 2021 年 1 月 12 日至 3 月 24 日（Q1）和 3 月 10 日至 5 月 16 日（Q2）期间在线回复了嵌套调查。中学生在 Q1 和 Q2 时接受调查，小学生仅在 Q2 时接受调查。对父母及其子女的调查包括应用非验证问卷评估儿童对口罩有用性的看法以及口罩佩戴行为。使用 Pearson 和 McNemar 的卡方检验分析了感知到的口罩有用性与儿童的学校水平和性别以及父母的教育程度之间的关联。孩子们提供的自由文本评论被分为对口罩佩戴态度的类别。
共有 595 名（54%为女孩）和 1118 名（52%为女孩）具有瑞士国籍和高社会经济地位的在校儿童分别在 Q1 和 Q2 时回复了在线问卷。超过一半的在校儿童认为口罩在学校（Q1：60%，Q2：57%）和公共场所（Q1：69%，Q2：60%）有用。女孩比男孩更经常认为口罩有用（Q2 时在学校：61%比 53%，在公共场所：64%比 57%），而父母受教育程度较高的儿童比受教育程度较低的儿童更经常认为口罩有用（Q2 时在学校：61%比 49%，在公共场所：63%比 54%）。在 Q1 和 Q2 时，约有 20%的儿童对口罩提供了个人意见，其中 36%的儿童在 Q1 和 16%的儿童在 Q2 时报告了皮肤刺激、头痛或体育锻炼时呼吸困难等副作用和不适。
约 60%的在校儿童认为学校和公共场所的口罩有用。一小部分但不容忽视的儿童报告了不适和副作用，这应该得到考虑，以确保在校儿童高度遵守口罩佩戴规定。需要对问卷进行验证。
