Holz Adrienne
School of Communication, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2024 Dec 11;21(12):1652. doi: 10.3390/ijerph21121652.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended the use of well-fitting face masks or respirators as a strategy to reduce respiratory transmission; however, acceptance and utilization of face masks quickly became a contentious, politically charged matter. Given the effectiveness of masking against respiratory viruses, it is critical to understand the various normative factors and personal values associated with mask wearing. To this end, this study reports the findings of an online, cross-sectional survey ( = 1231) of college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings show that ideological consistency, sharing news to create awareness, and sharing unverified news significantly predict masking behaviors, though ideological consistency most substantially explained variance in self-reported masking behaviors. Participants with more liberal political ideologies reported greater adherence to masking policies while those with more conservative ideologies reported less mask-wearing behavior. A better understanding of the predictors of masking behaviors, particularly how political ideologies continue to shape public health responses, is essential for designing more effective communication strategies to control disease spread and help inform strategies for future outbreaks. Study implications and limitations are discussed.
在新冠疫情期间，美国疾病控制与预防中心（CDC）建议使用贴合度良好的口罩或呼吸器作为减少呼吸道传播的一种策略；然而，口罩的接受度和使用率很快就成为了一个有争议的、充满政治意味的问题。鉴于佩戴口罩对预防呼吸道病毒的有效性，了解与佩戴口罩相关的各种规范因素和个人价值观至关重要。为此，本研究报告了在新冠疫情期间对大学生进行的一项在线横断面调查（n = 1231）的结果。研究结果表明，意识形态一致性、分享新闻以提高认识以及分享未经证实的新闻显著预测了佩戴口罩的行为，不过意识形态一致性对自我报告的佩戴口罩行为的差异解释最为显著。政治意识形态较为自由的参与者报告称更遵守佩戴口罩政策，而政治意识形态较为保守的参与者报告的佩戴口罩行为较少。更好地理解佩戴口罩行为的预测因素，尤其是政治意识形态如何持续影响公共卫生应对措施，对于设计更有效的沟通策略以控制疾病传播以及为未来疫情制定策略提供参考至关重要。本文还讨论了研究的意义和局限性。
