A Study to Assess the Problems of Prolonged Use of Mask During Covid Pandemic Among the General Public Residing in Lawspet Area at Puducherry

: A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted to assess the problems of prolonged use of mask during covid pandemic among general public. The objectives of the study was to assess the problems of prolonged use of mask during covid pandemic among the general public and to find out association between the problems of prolonged use of mask during covid pandemic with selected demographic variable. The researcher developed self-administered open ended questionnaire to assess the problems of prolonged use of mask during covid pandemic among 300 public residing in lawspet area at Puducherry by using purposive sampling technique. The major findings was, regarding the demographic variables out of 300 general public 156(52%) were in age group 18-29 years, half of the public was female 198(66%), half of the public were married162(54%), 138(46%) of the public were completed under graduate(UG) level of education, half of the public were hindus168(56%), half of the public were lived in urban area 156(52%), half of the public were monthly income Rs.5000-10000 150(50%), 126(42%) of the public were company worker, 168(56%) of the public were in nuclear family, 138(46%) of the public got information from social media, 102(34%) of the public were affected in covid 19 respectively. Out of 300 public all of them were using mask 300(100%), half of the public were used surgical mask (three layered mask) 156(52%), 108(36%) of the public were used the same mask at only one time, 234(78%) of the public was not washed the single use disposable mask, 134(44%) of the public were told not wearing the N95 mask is cost effective, 120(40%) of the public were faced problems while wearing face mask was sweating, 198(66%) of the public were told no adverse reactions after using mask, 102(34%) of the public were told 4 hours was tolerable hours of wearing mask, most of the public were told correct way to wear mask was covering mouth and nose 228(76%), 144(48%) were 2 times changed the mask for full day. In association between the problems of prolonged use of mask with selected demographic variables. There is a significant(p<0.005) association between problems of prolonged use of mask during covid pandemic with selected demographic variables as religion. Then the researcher created awareness to all public regarding importance of mask, motivated to do proper hygienic measures life hand washing techniques and taught about criteria for use mask to promote the health from covid pandemic to endemic.


INTRODUCTION
Health promotion is the process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve, their health.To reach a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, an individual or group must be able t1o identify and to realize aspirations, to satisfy needs, and to change or cope with the environment.Health is, therefore, seen as a resource for everyday life, not the objective of living.Health is a positive concept emphasizing social and personal resources, as well as physical capacities.Therefore, health promotion is not just the responsibility of the health sector, but goes beyond healthy life-styles to well-being.There are two categories of diseases such as communicable and non-communicable diseases.Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), also known as chronic diseases, tend to be of long duration and are the result of a combination of genetic, physiological, environmental and behavioural factors.The main types of NCD are cardiovascular diseases (such as heart attacks and stroke), cancers, chronic respiratory diseases (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma) and diabetes.NCDs disproportionately affect people in low-and middle-income countries where more than three quarters of global NCD deaths -31.4 million occur.Communicable diseases are those that are spread from one person to another through a variety of methods.Socioeconomic, environmental and behavioural factors, as well as international travel and migration, foster and increase the spread of Communicable Diseases.Vaccinepreventable, foodborne, zoonotic, healthcare-related and communicable diseases pose significant threats to human health and may sometimes 2 threaten international health security.Wearing a mask for a prolonged amount of time causes a host of physiological and psychological burdens and can decrease work efficiency.Activity cannot be performed as long or efficiently while wearing masks as compared to when masks are not worn.Prolonged use of N95 mask and surgical masks causes physical adverse effects such as headache, difficulty in breathing, acne, skin breakdown, rashes and impaired cognition.It also interferes with vision, communication and thermal equilibrium.Headache related to prolonged mask use can be attributed to mechanical factors, hypercapnia and hypoxemia.Tight straps and pressure on superficial facial and cervical nerves and mechanical features causing headache.
In India as the country's numbers continue to rise, wearing a mask properly, maintaining social distancing and hand hygiene will be the three essentials of prevention of COVID-19.Findings show that 90% of respondents who participated in the survey are aware of all the guidelines issued by the Government of India as well as other organizations to protect from COVID-19 infection.However, when it came to overall practice, compliance was low especially among the lower social strata.Interestingly, only around 44% are completely compliant in terms of wearing it correctly and in all relevant situations.Breathing issues and inconvenience are key factor behind non-compliance when it came to non-compliance towards covering face, breathing problems emerged (50%) as a key reason, followed by discomfort and inconvenience at 44%.This was followed by the assumption that as long as social distancing was maintained, a mask was not required as per 45 of respondents.
Researcher came across the personal experience of problems of prolonged using of mask during this pandemic period so the researcher had interest to do study on this topic.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY:
 To assess the problems of prolonged use of mask during covid pandemic among the general public. To associate the problems of prolonged use of mask during covid pandemic with selected demographic variable

MATERIALS AND METHODS
A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted to assess the problems of prolonged use of mask during covid pandemic among general public.The sample size was 300 publics by using purposive sampling techniques.The data collection period was 7 days.
The study was conducted at lawspet area.Data was collected by using self-administered open ended questionnaire to assess the problems of prolonged use of mask.Data was analysed by using descriptive and inferential statistics.Section-A: It consists of demographic data related to the study such as age, sex, education, marital status, religion, community, income, occupation, type of family, sources of information, and past COVID-19.Section-B: The self-administered open ended questions consists of 10 questions related to problems of prolonged use of mask.The reliability was established by test method and the reliable coefficient was found to be using Pearson correlation coefficient of association between problems of prolonged use of mask among selected demographic variables.s that there was association (P<0.05) between the problems of prolonged use of mask with their selected demographic variable as religion.The data was collected after obtaining permission from concerned authority Informed consent was obtained from each public prior to data collection.

Fig: 1.1. 1
Fig: 1.1.1Percentage distribution of age in years among subjects Fig:1.2.3 Percentage distribution of How many times you are using the same face masks among subjects.

Table 1 .1 shows:
Frequency and Percentage wise Distribution of demographic variables among subjects.Out of the 300 samples, Majority of the public 156 (52%) were in the age group 18-29 years.Most of the public was female 198 (66%).Majority of the public were belongs to married 162 (54%).Majority of the public were completed college level of education 138 (46%).Most of the public was were followed by hindu religion 168 (56%).Majority of the public were lived in urban area 156 (52%).Most of the public 150 (50%) were monthly income rs.5000-10000.Majority of the public were company worker 126 (42%).Most of the public 168 (56%) were nuclear fami1y.Majority of the public 138 (46%) were get information from social media.Most of the public 198 (66%) were not affected in covid 19 respectively.

Table 1 .2: Frequency and percentage wise distribution of assessment of the problems of prolonged use of mask during covid pandemic among the general subjects. Table1.2.1:
Frequency and percentage wise distribution of assessment of the usage of face mask

Table 1 .
2.1 revealed that frequency and percentage wise distribution of assessment of the usage of mask are all of them were wearing the face mask 300 (100%).

Table 1
.2.3 revealed that frequency and percentage wise distribution of assessment of 108(36%) of the public were used the same face masks at one time only.

Table 1 .
2.4: Frequency and percentage wise distribution of assessment of several time of washing the single use

Table 1 .
2.4 revealed that frequency and percentage wise distribution of assessment of 234(78%) of the subjects was not washed the single use disposable mask.Fig: 1.2.4 Percentage distribution of how many times you are washing the single use disposable masks among subjects

How many times you are washing the single use disposable masks 1416
* Corresponding Author: Niranjana D. Volume 05 Issue 05 May 2022 Available at: ijcsrr.orgPage No.-1410-1421 Table 1.2.5:Frequency and percentage wise distribution of assessment of not

Table 4 .
2.5 revealed that frequency and percentage wise distribution of assessment of 132(44%) of the public were told not wearing the N95 mask is cost effective.

Volume 05 Issue 05 May 2022 Available at: ijcsrr.org Page No.-1410-1421 Table 1.2.8:
Frequency and percentage wise distribution of assessment of possible hours of wearing mask N=300

Table 1 .
2.8 revealed that frequency and percentage wise distribution of assessment of 102(34%) of the public were told 4 hours was tolerable hours to wear face masks 102(34%).

:1.2.8
Percentage distribution of what is your tolerable hour of wearing face masks among subject.

Table 1 .2.10:
Frequency and percentage wise distribution of assessment of usage mask in full day work N=300

Table 1 .
2.10 revealed that frequency and percentage wise distribution of assessment of the subjects 144(48%) were 2 times changed the masks for full day respective.
Fig:1.2.10 Percentage distribution of when you are in full day work how many masks are changed among subjects.

SECTION C: ASSOCIATION BETWEEN THE PROBLEMS OF PROLONGED USE OF MASK WITH THEIR SELECTED DEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES. Table 1.3: Association
between the problems of prolonged use of mask with their selected demographic variables.* Corresponding Author: Niranjana D. Volume 05 Issue 05 May 2022 Available at: ijcsrr.orgPage No.-1410-1421