Wearing face masks in public during the influenza season may reflect other positive hygiene practices in Japan
Wearing face masks in public during the influenza season may reflect other positive hygiene practices in Japan
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DOI：
10.1186/1471-2458-12-1065
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发表时间：
2012-12-10
影响因子：
4.5
通讯作者：
Smith, Derek R.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Wada, Koji;Oka-Ezoe, Kuniko;Smith, Derek R.
背景资料：虽然不建议在公共场所佩戴口罩以预防流感，但在流感季节，许多亚洲国家经常佩戴这些设备。在日本，人们认为这种行为可能是其他积极卫生习惯的指标。因此，本研究的目的是确定在公共场合戴口罩是否与日本成年人的其他积极的卫生习惯和健康行为有关。方法：我们最初招募了约3,000名年龄在20至69岁之间的日本人，他们在网络调查公司注册。参与者被要求回忆他们在前一年流感季节的个人卫生习惯。结果：3,129人回答了调查，其中38%的人报告在上一个流感季节在公共场所戴口罩。在公共场合戴口罩与各种自我报告的卫生习惯有关，包括：（调整的比值比[OR]：1.67; 95%置信区间[95% CI]：1.34-1.96），偶尔洗手（OR：1.43; 95% CI：1.10-1.75），经常避开人群（OR：1.85; 95% CI：1.70-1.98），偶尔避开人群（OR：1.65; 95%CI：1.53-1.76），经常漱口（OR：1.68; 95% CI：1.51-1.84），偶尔漱口（OR：1.46; 95% CI：1.29-1.62），定期避免与感染者密切接触（OR：1.50; 95% CI：1.33-1.67），偶尔避免与感染者密切接触（OR：1.31，95%CI：1.16-1.46），上一季接种流感疫苗（OR：1.31; 95%CI：1.17-1.45）。总的来说，这项研究表明，在公共场合戴口罩可能与日本成年人的其他个人卫生习惯和健康行为有关。口罩的使用可能不是预防流感本身，而是同一个人额外的，积极的卫生习惯和其他有利健康行为的标志。
Background: Although the wearing of face masks in public has not been recommended for preventing influenza, these devices are often worn in many Asian countries during the influenza season. In Japan, it is thought that such behavior may be an indicator of other positive hygiene practices. The aim of this study, therefore, was to determine if wearing a face mask in public is associated with other positive hygiene practices and health behaviors among Japanese adults.Methods: We initially recruited around 3,000 Japanese individuals ranging from 20 to 69 years of age who were registered with a web survey company. Participants were asked to recall their personal hygiene practices during the influenza season of the previous year. Logistic regression analysis was then used to examine the associations between wearing a face mask in public and personal hygiene practices and health behaviors.Results: A total of 3,129 persons responded to the survey, among whom 38% reported that they had worn a face mask in public during the previous influenza season. Wearing a face mask in public was associated with various self-reported hygiene practices including: frequent hand washing (adjusted Odds Ratio [OR]: 1.67; 95% Confidence Interval [95% CI]: 1.34-1.96), occasional hand washing (OR: 1.43; 95% CI: 1.10-1.75), frequently avoiding crowds (OR: 1.85; 95% CI: 1.70-1.98), occasionally avoiding crowds (OR: 1.65; 95% CI: 1.53-1.76), frequent gargling (OR: 1.68; 95% CI: 1.51-1.84), occasional gargling (OR: 1.46; 95% CI: 1.29-1.62), regularly avoiding close contact with an infected person (OR: 1.50; 95% CI: 1.33-1.67), occasionally avoiding close contact with an infected person (OR: 1.31; 95% CI: 1.16-1.46), and being vaccinated of influenza in the last season (OR: 1.31; 95% CI: 1.17-1.45).Conclusions: Overall, this study suggests that wearing a face mask in public may be associated with other personal hygiene practices and health behaviors among Japanese adults. Rather than preventing influenza itself, face mask use might instead be a marker of additional, positive hygiene practices and other favorable health behaviors in the same individuals.