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 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 analyze

SUBMITTER: Liu Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10492314 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature