ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Wearing face masks is believed to mitigate COVID-19 virus transmission by filtering respiratory droplets. This study was to explore the factors influencing wearing face masks in public in China during COVID-19 outbreak. METHODS: This study was a qualitative semi-structured interview research design and was guided by the Protection Motivation Theory. Participants from Jiangxi Province China were interviewed via WeChat video call. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Recruitment efforts were suspended when 21 participants (aged 23 to 72) were successfully enrolled and the data reached thematic saturation. Four themes were identified when participants described factors influencing them to wear face masks: knowledge of disease (subthemes were severity of disease, and individual vulnerability to disease), environmental facilitators and constraints (subthemes were government recommendations, public opinion, and affordability and availability of face masks), understanding of protection effectiveness (subthemes were protection effectiveness of wearing face masks, and selection of protective measures), and past experiences. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals' decision to wear face masks was influenced by the combination of factors identified. Identification of these factors provides guidance for explaining wearing face masks in public and helps policy makers develop feasible recommendations for wearing face masks during COVID-19 outbreak.