A team of researchers from the University of Edinburg found that consistent mask-wearing was associated with positive well-being among their participants. The team recruited 11,000 participants across the UK who completed the CovidLife surveys, which is an initiative set up by the University of Edinburgh to try and measure and understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the nation’s health and well-being.
The results concluded that adherence to face-covering guidelines had no association with poorer mental health. The study found that the odds of feeling anxious were 58% lower among those who always wore their masks. The likelihood of experiencing depressive symptoms was 25% lower among people who wore their masks most of the time. Lastly, the odds of feeling lonely were 67% lower among those who always wore their masks. The study findings agree with past studies that found that not adhering to the rule of wearing face masks can be viewed negatively by others.
Ref link: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.18.20248477v1