Assessing willingness to wear face masks to guide protection strategies in future pandemics

Background Face masks have been widely used to prevent disease transmission during outbreaks. In the United States, their use was initially limited due to cultural stigma and associations with criminal behavior. However, rising mortality rates and evidence of their effectiveness in preventing illnesses like the flu have increased their acceptance. Pandemic-related isolation also worsened mental health issues, emphasizing the need for evidence-based responses. This study explores the factors influencing perceptions and intentions to wear face masks within a proposed conceptual framework. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the factors that affect the perspective and intention to wear face masks in a proposed conceptual framework. Methods A total of 404 surveys were completed by people in the United States who wore face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results In terms of the hypotheses testing, perceived knowledge significantly affected coping and threat appraisal. Only coping appraisal significantly affected moral obligation. Threat appraisal had significant and positive effects on social approval and moral obligation. Perceived intention to wear a face mask was only significantly associated with moral obligation but not social approval. Finally, the perceived intention to wear a face mask significantly affected perceived behavior. Conclusions These findings suggest that perceived knowledge, threat appraisal, coping appraisal, moral obligation, and perceived intention to wear a face mask are important factors influencing the behavior of wearing face masks.