Why elderly in rural China didn’t wear masks during the COVID-19 pandemic? A qualitative narrative interview study
Abstract Background During the COVID-19 pandemic, ageism and stigmatization towards the elderly have been prominent issues. In addition, there have been debates on Chinese social media as to why elderly people in rural areas are not wearing masks. While some factors that affect the mask-wearing beha...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-09-01
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| Series: | BMC Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-16653-0 |
| _version_ | 1797555856232939520 |
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| author | Yunlai Liu Chunyan Huang |
| author_facet | Yunlai Liu Chunyan Huang |
| author_sort | Yunlai Liu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background During the COVID-19 pandemic, ageism and stigmatization towards the elderly have been prominent issues. In addition, there have been debates on Chinese social media as to why elderly people in rural areas are not wearing masks. While some factors that affect the mask-wearing behaviour of the elderly have been analyzed, little attention has been given to the lived experiences and behavioral intentions of rural elderly people who choose not to wear masks, despite government mandates to do so. Method In this research, 50 semi-structured interviews with 30 elderly individuals in three Chinese villages were carried out using the qualitative method of semi-structured interviews. Following verbatim recording and transcription of the conversations, the subject was analyzed using the Theory of Reasoned Action. Results We identified four factors that influence the non-masking behaviour of rural elderly, including past experiences, cultural concepts, cognitive attitudes, and health and safety anxiety, and identified nine sub-themes based on the four overarching themes. Past knowledge, experience, and history have led rural elderly people to distrust the government's mandatory “mask mandate,” believing that they do not need to wear masks. Rural cultural concepts and habits make the elderly feel that masks not only fail to provide protection but also become obstacles, resulting in poor daily experiences. Cognitive attitudes and emotions determine the elderly's evaluation of masks, which in turn affects their use of masks. Finally, elderly individuals’chronic diseases directly affect the physical pain and life safety caused by their use of masks, which is a major objective factor for their non-masking. Conclusions Although numerous studies have concluded that Chinese people wore masks out of collectivism and conformity during the pandemic, marginalized groups' opposition to wearing masks also contains distinctive, individualized elements and underlying causes. By exposing these elements and reasons, we can better comprehend the peculiar behavior of particular groups while fighting the pandemic. The needs of marginalized populations should be prioritized by public health policy makers to provide more equitable services. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T16:54:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1a10535a50674e9d92035176c96f41d2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T16:54:37Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-1a10535a50674e9d92035176c96f41d22023-11-20T11:11:07ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582023-09-0123111210.1186/s12889-023-16653-0Why elderly in rural China didn’t wear masks during the COVID-19 pandemic? A qualitative narrative interview studyYunlai Liu0Chunyan Huang1School of Media, Anqing Normal UniversityThe Department of Communication, University of MacauAbstract Background During the COVID-19 pandemic, ageism and stigmatization towards the elderly have been prominent issues. In addition, there have been debates on Chinese social media as to why elderly people in rural areas are not wearing masks. While some factors that affect the mask-wearing behaviour of the elderly have been analyzed, little attention has been given to the lived experiences and behavioral intentions of rural elderly people who choose not to wear masks, despite government mandates to do so. Method In this research, 50 semi-structured interviews with 30 elderly individuals in three Chinese villages were carried out using the qualitative method of semi-structured interviews. Following verbatim recording and transcription of the conversations, the subject was analyzed using the Theory of Reasoned Action. Results We identified four factors that influence the non-masking behaviour of rural elderly, including past experiences, cultural concepts, cognitive attitudes, and health and safety anxiety, and identified nine sub-themes based on the four overarching themes. Past knowledge, experience, and history have led rural elderly people to distrust the government's mandatory “mask mandate,” believing that they do not need to wear masks. Rural cultural concepts and habits make the elderly feel that masks not only fail to provide protection but also become obstacles, resulting in poor daily experiences. Cognitive attitudes and emotions determine the elderly's evaluation of masks, which in turn affects their use of masks. Finally, elderly individuals’chronic diseases directly affect the physical pain and life safety caused by their use of masks, which is a major objective factor for their non-masking. Conclusions Although numerous studies have concluded that Chinese people wore masks out of collectivism and conformity during the pandemic, marginalized groups' opposition to wearing masks also contains distinctive, individualized elements and underlying causes. By exposing these elements and reasons, we can better comprehend the peculiar behavior of particular groups while fighting the pandemic. The needs of marginalized populations should be prioritized by public health policy makers to provide more equitable services.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-16653-0COVID-19MasksRural elderlyInfluencing factorsQualitative |
| spellingShingle | Yunlai Liu Chunyan Huang Why elderly in rural China didn’t wear masks during the COVID-19 pandemic? A qualitative narrative interview study BMC Public Health COVID-19 Masks Rural elderly Influencing factors Qualitative |
| title | Why elderly in rural China didn’t wear masks during the COVID-19 pandemic? A qualitative narrative interview study |
| title_full | Why elderly in rural China didn’t wear masks during the COVID-19 pandemic? A qualitative narrative interview study |
| title_fullStr | Why elderly in rural China didn’t wear masks during the COVID-19 pandemic? A qualitative narrative interview study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Why elderly in rural China didn’t wear masks during the COVID-19 pandemic? A qualitative narrative interview study |
| title_short | Why elderly in rural China didn’t wear masks during the COVID-19 pandemic? A qualitative narrative interview study |
| title_sort | why elderly in rural china didn t wear masks during the covid 19 pandemic a qualitative narrative interview study |
| topic | COVID-19 Masks Rural elderly Influencing factors Qualitative |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-16653-0 |
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