Epidemiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Austin, TX 78701, USA.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Feb 3;20(3):2723. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20032723.
Shortly after the identification of COVID-19, public health experts recommended the use of face masks and social distancing to slow the spread of the virus. Early research indicates that there are associations between gender, age, and mask-wearing behavior. The primary aim of this paper was to explore how demographics, location, and mask mandates may affect COVID-19 mitigation strategies such as mask-wearing and social distancing. A prospective, cross-sectional observational study was conducted in Houston, TX from January to April 2021 at three outdoor locations: an urban park, an urban park with a trail, and a farmer's market. During each two-hour data collection period, trained observers recorded the total number of people in the designated spaces; people were categorized by approximate age, sex, race/ethnicity, physical activity level, social distancing, and mask adherence using the Systematic Observation of Mask Adherence and Distancing (SOMAD) protocol. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine associations with gender, race, age, location, and the mask mandate. A total of 7778 observations were recorded after exclusion of inconclusive demographic data. Females had higher odds, reported as an odds ratio, of mask use than males (OR = 1.35, 95% CI 1.18-1.54). Compared to White individuals, Asian individuals had higher odds of mask use (OR = 1.84, 95% CI 1.48-2.30). The odds of mask use were higher while the Texas mask mandate was in effect (OR = 1.60, 95% CI 1.40-1.84). Regarding location, the odds of mask use were much higher in the urban park than in the urban park with a trail (OR = 13.33). Individuals had higher odds of social distancing at the urban park with a trail compared to the farmer's market (OR = 4.61, 95% CI 4.10-5.17). Mask wearing and social distancing behaviors differ by demographics, locality, and mask mandate. Thus, state policies can be effective tools to encourage mask wearing for disease mitigation.
新冠病毒出现后不久，公共卫生专家就建议使用口罩和保持社交距离来减缓病毒传播。早期研究表明，性别、年龄和戴口罩行为之间存在关联。本文的主要目的是探讨人口统计学、地理位置和口罩强制令如何影响戴口罩和保持社交距离等 COVID-19 缓解策略。2021 年 1 月至 4 月，在德克萨斯州休斯顿的三个户外地点（一个城市公园、一个有小径的城市公园和一个农贸市场）进行了一项前瞻性、横断面观察性研究。在每两个小时的数据收集期间，经过培训的观察员记录指定空间内的总人数；根据大致年龄、性别、种族/民族、身体活动水平、社交距离和使用口罩的情况，使用系统观察口罩使用和保持社交距离（SOMAD）协议对人员进行分类。使用多变量逻辑回归来确定与性别、种族、年龄、地点和口罩强制令相关的因素。在排除不明确的人口统计学数据后，共记录了 7778 次观察结果。与男性相比，女性使用口罩的几率更高，报告为优势比（OR = 1.35，95%CI 1.18-1.54）。与白人相比，亚洲人使用口罩的几率更高（OR = 1.84，95%CI 1.48-2.30）。在德克萨斯州口罩强制令生效期间，使用口罩的几率更高（OR = 1.60，95%CI 1.40-1.84）。关于位置，城市公园的口罩使用率远高于有小径的城市公园（OR = 13.33）。与农贸市场相比，在有小径的城市公园，个人保持社交距离的几率更高（OR = 4.61，95%CI 4.10-5.17）。口罩佩戴和社交距离行为因人口统计学、地理位置和口罩强制令而异。因此，州政策可以成为鼓励佩戴口罩以减轻疾病的有效工具。
