How Healthcare Teams Appear to the Observer—An Approach to the Complexities of Mask-Wearing Attitudes During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought widespread attention to the use of protective masks. This study explores how the socio-demographic factors influence the perception of an interprofessional team wearing FFP2 masks. An online survey conducted in 2021 included 906 participants who rated photographs of an interprofessional team in four different attire scenarios: tunic, white coat, FFP2 masks, and pink socks. In addition education and occupation of participants were obtained. By measuring the attitudes towards an interprofessional team wearing FFP2 masks implicitly the attitude towards this COVID-19 measure was assessed. The statistical analysis employed MANOVA to assess the significance of differences in perception. Healthcare professionals were more critical of teams wearing masks compared to other occupational groups, with a third expressing skepticism about the effectiveness of masks. The results underscore the importance of understanding healthcare professionals' attitudes towards preventive measures, especially masks, for future pandemics. The study uses the Health Belief Model (HBM) as an approach to interpret how the attitude towards preventive measures during the COVID-19 pandemic affect behavior.