Browsing by Author "DR MAYA CHANDRA SEKARAN"
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- ThesisRestrictedFACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH CONSUMERS INTENTION TO CONTINUE USING FACE MASK DUE TO COVID-19 USING THE HEALTH BELIEF MODEL(International Medical University, 2023-07)DR MAYA CHANDRA SEKARANBackground: The global outbreak of COVID-19, also known as the coronavirus disease 2019 raged across the world and was an international public health threat. It caused significant impacts to health, both physically and psychologically. The quarantine measures imposed caused economic, education and social disruptions. The escalated usage of face masks and personal protective equipment’s (PPE’s) created massive wastage that impacted the environment negatively whilst many lost their livelihoods and sources of income. Globally as of 19 July 2023, there have been 768,237,778 confirmed cases of COVID-19 including 6,951,677 deaths reported to WHO (WHO, 2023). This study aimed to determine factors associated with consumers intention to continue using face mask due to COVID-19 pandemic using “The Health Belief Model (HBM)”, a cross-sectional study in Malaysian respondents from May to August of 2022. During this time, COVID -19 was still declared as a pandemic by World Health Organization (WHO). The end of the pandemic was only declared year later in May 2023. Methods: A total of 282 respondents, aged 18 and above who declared to have worn face masks in the last one year all across Malaysia were surveyed. The survey instrument included socio- demographic data and measures on the four main constructs for HBM, namely perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, and perceived barriers. Cues to action and self-efficacy were left out as not all previous studies using the HBM included them. Descriptive and inferential analysis was done using SPSS version 25 software to determine rates and predictors of face mask wearing. Results: Perceived susceptibility was the only HBM construct that was found to be a significant predictor for consumers intention to continue using face mask. Socio-demographic factors had no effect on face mask wearing probably due to a very high rate of mask wearing compliance in the community at that point in time. Additional survey questions found that 84% of respondents would wear a mask due to family reasons such as wanting to protect their family or feeling encouraged by their family to do so. Respondents also reported preferring cheaper, single use face masks as opposed to reusable ones, surgical masks as opposed to non-surgical face masks and face masks with no aesthetic appeal. Conclusion: The Health Belief Model is a useful model in identifying factors that determine face mask wearing. These findings can be used for effective planning of health education and programmes by health organizations. It can also assist the government in creating policies in relation to face mask to increase its compliance as well as guide face mask production for the global market of face masks. KEY WORDS: Health Belief Model, COVID-19 preventive behaviour, Face Masks