ABSTRACT
ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to comparatively explore the social representations of risk in individuals categorised ‘at risk’ based on age during the COVID-19 pandemic. What characterised their sense-making of being at risk and what effects did this have on their lives, behaviour and identities?DesignInterview-based qualitative study.SettingUK and Germany, July–August 2020.Participants11 individuals from Germany and eight from the UK were recruited purposively. Inclusion criteria: to be at risk for a severe course of COVID-19 due to age ≥50 years (Germany) and ≥70 years (UK) based on official communication by the respective national public health authority.Exclusion criteria: any form of dementia, pre-existing mental health issues, congenital physical or mental disabilities, being resident in a care home, having a personal relationship to the principal investigator.MethodsSemistructured in-depth interviews were conducted remotely. Reflexive thematic analysis was carried out to inductively develop themes illustrative of shared patterns of meaning across the whole data set.ResultsThree main themes are reported. ‘Establishing safe spaces’ (perceiving safety and risk in relation to others and implementing prevention measures to maintain safe spaces);‘Assessing and responding to risk’ (risk as danger relative to others and risk management as a responsibility of the individual) and ‘Considerations on the value of a life’ (in relation to quality of life, length of life and capacity to contribute to society). Cross cutting all of these, is the notion of relational assessment.ConclusionsThe experience of risk and related behaviour is contingent on the individuals’ mindset, body and the setting (geographical, political and sociocultural) one is positioned in. Negotiating identities is an inevitable process accompanying sense-making of (new) risks. Public health practice and communication could benefit from at least being informed by and at best being based on the meanings and representations of those whose health and well-being we want to ensure.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Wearing face masks in public is recommended under certain circumstances in order to prevent infectious diseases transmitted through droplets. AIM: The objective was to compile all German and English research results from peer-reviewed journal articles using a sensitive literature search on the effects of mask-wearing for preventing infectious diseases on the psychosocial development of children and adolescents. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted considering different study designs (search period up until 12 July 2021). The risk of bias in the studies was determined using a risk of bias procedure. A descriptive-narrative synthesis of the results was performed. RESULTS: Thirteen studies were included, and the overall risk of bias was estimated to be high in all primary studies. There are some indications from the included surveys that children, adolescents, and their teachers in (pre)schools perceived facial expression processing as impaired due to mask wearing, which were confirmed by several experimental studies. Two studies reported psychological symptoms like anxiety and stress as well as concentration and learning problems due to wearing a mask during the COVID-19 pandemic. One survey study during the 2002/2003 SARS pandemic examined oral examination performance in English as a foreign language and showed no difference between the "mask" and "no mask" conditions. DISCUSSION: Only little evidence can be derived on the effects of wearing mouth-nose protection on different developmental areas of children and adolescents based on the small number of studies. There is a lack of research data regarding the following outcomes: psychological development, language development, emotional development, social behavior, school success, and participation. Further qualitative studies and epidemiological studies are required.