IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v20y2023i5p4144-d1080466.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A Comparison of the Effect of Facemasks on Perceived Breathability and Air Quality during Daily Activities and Indoor Exercises

Author

Listed:
  • Lai-Yin Qin

    (Academy of Visual Arts, School of Creative Arts, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China)

Abstract

Transmission of COVID-19 occurs predominantly through respired droplets and aerosols containing the SARS-CoV-2 virus. As a solution, face masks have been used to protect against infection. Wearing face masks during indoor exercises is essential to prevent the spread of virus-containing respiratory droplets and aerosols. However, previous studies have not investigated all elements, including the users’ perceived breathability (PB) and perceived air quality (PAQ) when wearing a face mask during indoor exercises. The current study aimed to assess users’ perceived comfort (PC) of face masks based on assessment criteria of PB and PAQ during moderate to vigorous exercises, and compare them with those during normal daily activities. Data on PC, PB, and PAQ were collected from an online questionnaire survey from 104 participants doing regular moderate to vigorous exercises. Within-subjects comparison with self-controlled case series design was performed to compare PC, PB, and PAQ between wearing face masks during exercises and daily activities. Results showed that the degree of dissatisfaction with PC, PB, and PAQ while wearing face masks and performing indoor exercises is higher than when performing daily activities ( p < 0.05). The significance of the study implies that masks comfortable for daily activities may not remain the same during moderate to vigorous exercises, especially during indoor exercises.

Suggested Citation

  • Lai-Yin Qin, 2023. "A Comparison of the Effect of Facemasks on Perceived Breathability and Air Quality during Daily Activities and Indoor Exercises," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-10, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:5:p:4144-:d:1080466
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/5/4144/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/5/4144/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Juntaek Hong & Juahn Byun & Joong-on Choi & Dain Shim & Dong-wook Rha, 2022. "The Effects of Wearing Facemasks during Vigorous Exercise in the Aspect of Cardiopulmonary Response, In-Mask Environment, and Subject Discomfort," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-10, October.
    2. Keely Shaw & Scotty Butcher & Jongbum Ko & Gordon A. Zello & Philip D. Chilibeck, 2020. "Wearing of Cloth or Disposable Surgical Face Masks has no Effect on Vigorous Exercise Performance in Healthy Individuals," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-9, November.
    3. Tao Liu & Xiaofang Shan & Qinli Deng & Zeng Zhou & Guang Yang & Jue Wang & Zhigang Ren, 2022. "Thermal Perception and Physiological Responses under Different Protection States in Indoor Crowded Spaces during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Summer," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-15, May.
    4. Mana Sugimura & Odgerel Chimed-Ochir & Yui Yumiya & Hiroki Ohge & Nobuaki Shime & Takemasa Sakaguchi & Junko Tanaka & Toshiro Takafuta & Michi Mimori & Masao Kuwabara & Toshimasa Asahara & Eisaku Kish, 2021. "The Association between Wearing a Mask and COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-7, August.
    5. Jennifer L. Scheid & Shannon P. Lupien & Gregory S. Ford & Sarah L. West, 2020. "Commentary: Physiological and Psychological Impact of Face Mask Usage during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-12, September.
    6. Arijana Filipić & Katja Fric & Maja Ravnikar & Polona Kogovšek, 2022. "Assessment of Different Experimental Setups to Determine Viral Filtration Efficiency of Face Masks," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-13, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jennifer L. Scheid & Corinne Edwards & Michael Seils & Sarah L. West, 2022. "Perceived Exertion during Moderate and Vigorous Physical Activity While Mask Wearing: A Quantitative and Qualitative Pilot Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-14, May.
    2. Natalia Maja Józefacka & Robert Podstawski & Małgorzata Barbara Płoszaj & Elżbieta Szpakiewicz & Mateusz Franciszek Kołek & Andrzej Pomianowski & Gabriela Kania & Anna Niedźwiecka & Dominika Łabno & A, 2022. "Masquerade of Polish Society—Psychological Determinants of COVID-19 Precautionary Behaviors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-12, December.
    3. Daiki Yamaguchi & Odgerel Chimed-Ochir & Yui Yumiya & Eisaku Kishita & Tomoyuki Akita & Junko Tanaka & Tatsuhiko Kubo, 2024. "Potential Risk Factors to COVID-19 Severity: Comparison of SARS-CoV-2 Delta- and Omicron-Dominant Periods," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(3), pages 1-11, March.
    4. Abdul-Salam Sulemana & Sumeet Lal & Trinh Xuan Thi Nguyen & Mostafa Saidur Rahim Khan & Yoshihiko Kadoya, 2023. "Pandemic Fatigue in Japan: Factors Affecting the Declining COVID-19 Preventive Measures," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-17, April.
    5. Gerald Jarnig & Reinhold Kerbl & Mireille N. M. van Poppel, 2022. "Effects of Wearing FFP2 Masks on SARS-CoV-2 Infection Rates in Classrooms," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-13, October.
    6. Le Shi & Zheng-An Lu & Jian-Yu Que & Xiao-Lin Huang & Qing-Dong Lu & Lin Liu & Yong-Bo Zheng & Wei-Jian Liu & Mao-Sheng Ran & Kai Yuan & Wei Yan & Yan-Kun Sun & Si-Wei Sun & Jie Shi & Thomas Kosten & , 2021. "Long-Term Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health among the General Public: A Nationwide Longitudinal Study in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-18, August.
    7. Ekaterina A. Shashina & Valentina V. Makarova & Denis V. Shcherbakov & Tatiana S. Isiutina-Fedotkova & Nadezhda N. Zabroda & Nina A. Ermakova & Anton Yu. Skopin & Oleg V. Mitrokhin, 2021. "Use of Respiratory Protection Devices by Medical Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-12, May.
    8. Che-Yu Su & Chiung-Yu Peng & Hsin-Liang Liu & I-Jeng Yeh & Chi-Wei Lee, 2021. "Comparison of Effects of N95 Respirators and Surgical Masks to Physiological and Psychological Health among Healthcare Workers: A Randomized Controlled Trial," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-13, December.
    9. Keely A. Shaw & Scotty Butcher & Jong Bum Ko & Abdi Absher & Julianne Gordon & Cody Tkachuk & Gordon A. Zello & Philip D. Chilibeck, 2021. "Wearing a Surgical Face Mask Has Minimal Effect on Performance and Physiological Measures during High-Intensity Exercise in Youth Ice-Hockey Players: A Randomized Cross-Over Trial," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(20), pages 1-12, October.
    10. Simone Donati & Gianluca Viola & Ferdinando Toscano & Salvatore Zappalà, 2021. "Not All Remote Workers Are Similar: Technology Acceptance, Remote Work Beliefs, and Wellbeing of Remote Workers during the Second Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-19, November.
    11. Alessia Tescione & Francesco Misiti & Simone Digennaro, 2022. "Practicing Outdoor Physical Activity: Is It Really a Good Choice? Short- and Long-Term Health Effects of Exercising in a Polluted Environment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-13, November.
    12. Ryan T. Conners & Paul N. Whitehead & Thomas Skarp & Briana Waller & Mark Richard & Carrington Bain & Megan Monks & Mark A. Faghy, 2022. "Acute Effects of Facial Coverings on Anaerobic Exercise Performance in College-Aged Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-10, August.
    13. Elpidio Maria Garzillo & Arcangelo Cioffi & Angela Carta & Maria Grazia Lourdes Monaco, 2022. "Returning to Work after the COVID-19 Pandemic Earthquake: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-37, April.
    14. Rains, Stephen A. & Colombo, Paulina M. & Quick, Brian L. & Kriss, Lauren A., 2022. "State mask mandates and psychological reactance theory: The role of political partisanship and COVID-19 risk in mask adoption and resistance," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 314(C).
    15. Zhiyuan Zheng & Chengyao Liang & Zhuoyang Li & Yugao Wu & Baixue Lin & Jing Fang, 2022. "Mask-Wearing and Handwashing Behaviors of Chinese Rural Residents during the Pandemic of COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-13, December.
    16. Simone Trevas & Kathleen Manuel & Raja Malkani & Deanna Hoelscher, 2023. "Mask Adherence and Social Distancing in Houston, TX from January to April 2021," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-8, February.
    17. Francesco Tessarolo & Giandomenico Nollo & Devid Maniglio & Marta Rigoni & Luca Benedetti & Fabrizia Helfer & Ivan Corradi & Luigi Rovati & Alberto Ferrari & Mattia Piccini & Luca Accorsi & Elena Vero, 2021. "Testing Surgical Face Masks in an Emergency Context: The Experience of Italian Laboratories during the COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-19, February.
    18. Robyn Braun-Trocchio & Jessica Renteria & Elizabeth Warfield & Kaitlyn Harrison & Ashlynn Williams, 2022. "The Effects of Face Coverings on Perceived Exertion and Attention Allocation during a Stepping Task," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(11), pages 1-9, June.
    19. Luciano Bubbico & Giuseppe Mastrangelo & Francesca Larese-Filon & Paolo Basso & Roberto Rigoli & Martina Maurelli & Salvatore Ferlito & Marco Capelli & Claudio Gisabella & Mohammad Javanbakht & Saveri, 2021. "Community Use of Face Masks against the Spread of COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-13, March.
    20. Bernhard Hommel & Christian Beste, 2021. "Towards an Ideology-Free, Truly Mechanistic Health Psychology," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-10, October.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:5:p:4144-:d:1080466. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.