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Assessing Public Willingness to Wear Face Masks during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Fresh Insights from the Theory of Planned Behavior

Author

Listed:
  • Muhammad Irfan

    (School of Management and Economics, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
    Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China)

  • Nadeem Akhtar

    (School of Urban Culture, South China Normal University, Nanhai Campus, Foshan 528225, China
    Pakistan Center, North Minzu University, Yinchuan 750001, China)

  • Munir Ahmad

    (School of Economics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China)

  • Farrukh Shahzad

    (School of Economics and Management, Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology, Maoming 525000, China)

  • Rajvikram Madurai Elavarasan

    (Clean and Resilient Energy Systems (CARES) Laboratory, Texas A&M University, Galveston, TX 77553, USA)

  • Haitao Wu

    (School of Management and Economics, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
    Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China)

  • Chuxiao Yang

    (School of Management and Economics, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
    Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China)

Abstract

Face masks are considered an effective intervention in controlling the spread of airborne viruses, as evidenced by the 2009′s H1N1 swine flu and 2003′s severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreaks. However, research aiming to examine public willingness to wear (WTW) face masks in Pakistan are scarce. The current research aims to overcome this research void and contributes by expanding the theoretical mechanism of theory of planned behavior (TPB) to include three novel dimensions (risk perceptions of the pandemic, perceived benefits of face masks, and unavailability of face masks) to comprehensively analyze the factors that motivate people to, or inhibit people from, wearing face masks. The study is based on an inclusive questionnaire survey of a sample of 738 respondents in the provincial capitals of Pakistan, namely, Lahore, Peshawar, Karachi, Gilgit, and Quetta. Structural equation modeling (SEM) is used to analyze the proposed hypotheses. The results show that attitude, social norms, risk perceptions of the pandemic, and perceived benefits of face masks are the major influencing factors that positively affect public WTW face masks, whereas the cost of face masks and unavailability of face masks tend to have opposite effects. The results emphasize the need to enhance risk perceptions by publicizing the deadly effects of COVID-19 on the environment and society, ensure the availability of face masks at an affordable price, and make integrated and coherent efforts to highlight the benefits that face masks offer.

Suggested Citation

  • Muhammad Irfan & Nadeem Akhtar & Munir Ahmad & Farrukh Shahzad & Rajvikram Madurai Elavarasan & Haitao Wu & Chuxiao Yang, 2021. "Assessing Public Willingness to Wear Face Masks during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Fresh Insights from the Theory of Planned Behavior," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-22, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:9:p:4577-:d:543640
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Andrea Laurent-Simpson, 2023. "COVID-19 and Masking Disparities: Qualitative Analysis of Trust on the CDC’s Facebook Page," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(12), pages 1-18, June.
    3. Bilal Ahmad & Da Liu & Mirza Huzaifa Asif & Muhammad Ashfaq & Muhammad Irfan, 2022. "Ambidextrous Leadership and Service Recovery Performance Under B2B Selling Context: An Examination Through Service Innovation Capability," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(2), pages 21582440221, May.
    4. Xiaojie Zhang & Lili Wang, 2022. "Factors Contributing to Citizens’ Participation in COVID-19 Prevention and Control in China: An Integrated Model Based on Theory of Planned Behavior, Norm Activation Model, and Political Opportunity S," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-18, November.
    5. Kalembo Vikalwe Shakrani & Ngonidzashe Mathew Kanyangarara & Prince Tinashe Parowa & Vibhor Gupta & Rajendra Kumar, 2022. "A Deep Learning Model For Face Recognition In Presence Of Mask," Acta Informatica Malaysia (AIM), Zibeline International Publishing, vol. 6(2), pages 43-46, April.
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    7. Shanmugavel, Nagarajan & Balakrishnan, Janarthanan, 2023. "Influence of pro-environmental behaviour towards behavioural intention of electric vehicles," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).
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