Do perceived barriers, benefits, and severity have effect on mask-wearing habits during the coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic?

Introduction: The centers for disease prevention and control advise wearing a cloth face covering in public to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019, especially in situations when maintaining social distancing is challenging. As a result, the current study sought to identify the factors influencing mask behavior using constructs from the health belief model (HBM). Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 311 participants who were referred to the Health Centers of Arak, Iran, from November 2021 to December 2021. The participants were selected through multi-stage stratified random sampling. Data were collected using a questionnaire and consisted of sociodemographic data, mask-wearing behavior, and structures of HBM regarding mask wearing. Results: The participants' mean (standard deviation) age was 37.9 (12) years (ranging from 18–81). The rate of “always” wearing a face mask was 57.9%. Multiple regression analysis revealed that mask-wearing behavior was associated with demographic variables (age and gender), perceived severity (β = 0.17, P < 0.001), perceived benefits (β = 0.24, P < 0.001), and self-efficacy (β = 0.35, P < 0.001). The HBM constructs explained 46% of the variance of mask-wearing behavior (F [9,301] = 30, R = 0.68, [P < 0.001]). Conclusion: According to the findings of this study, HBM constructs can be treated as a predictor of mask wearing. Based on this predictor (self-efficacy, perceived severity, and benefits), effective interventions and healthy messages can be designed to improve mask-wearing behavior.