Who is wearing a mask? Gender-, age-, and location-related differences during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Masks are an effective tool in combatting the spread of COVID-19, but some people still resist wearing them and mask-wearing behavior has not been experimentally studied in the United States. To understand the demographics of mask wearers and resistors, and the impact of mandates on mask-wearing behavior, we observed shoppers (n = 9935) entering retail stores during periods of June, July, and August 2020. Approximately 41% of the June sample wore a mask. At that time, the odds of an individual wearing a mask increased significantly with age and was also 1.5x greater for females than males. Additionally, the odds of observing a mask on an urban or suburban shopper were ~4x that for rural areas. Mask mandates enacted in late July and August increased mask-wearing compliance to over 90% in all groups, but a small percentage of resistors remained. Thus, gender, age, and location factor into whether shoppers in the United States wear a mask or face covering voluntarily. Additionally, mask mandates are necessary to increase mask wearing among the public to a level required to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Fig 1. Mask-wearing percentages by Wisconsin county.

Data shown indicates the number of observations collected and percentage of people wearing a mask (vs. no mask) in each county where retail stores were visited during the initial data collection period from June 3^rd through June 9^th, 2020. The Milwaukee county city center location was used for identifying urban, suburban, and rural stores. Created in Tableau Public 2020.2.1 (Tableau Software, LLC., Seattle, WA, USA).

Fig 2. Mask-wearing percentages across gender, age, and location.

Data shown indicates percentage of individuals wearing a mask (vs. no mask) during the initial data collection period from June 3^rd through June 9^th, 2020. A. Females wear masks more than males. B. Older adults wear masks more than other individuals. C. Mask-wearing habits are similar in urban and suburban areas, but usage drops off considerably at rural stores. D. Mask wearing plotted by location highlights how the mask-wearing behavior of older adults (O) is less impacted by shopping in a rural area than the behavior of young (Y) and middle-age (MA) individuals.

Fig 3. Odds of wearing a mask.

Adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence interval plots of mask usage for gender expression, age, and location during the initial data collection period from June 3^rd-9^th, 2020. Odds ratios are expressed in relation to reference groups (gender: male; age: young; location: rural).

Fig 4. Mask-wearing percentages between June and August 2020.

Mask-wearing compliance was poor in June but had improved immediately before mandates began. Compliance rose to > 90% with a mandate in place across all demographics, but a small percentage of the population still resisted. The overlap in “before” and “with store mandates” dates is related to corporate differences in the dates mask mandates began.