Adoption of Non-Technological Health Innovations: The Case of Mask Use during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Brazil

Abstract

The use of masks to prevent COVID-19 infections generated much controversy and disagreements among the population, infectious disease specialists, and government representatives. Western countries were not used to using facial masks, and their adoption can be considered a non-technological innovation. This article explores the determinants of the intention to adopt, the actual use, and the continued intention to use a facemask to prevent COVID-19 infections in Brazil. Through structural equation modeling (SEM), relationships between constructs from the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and the construct of trust in the authorities were applied to test the study's hypotheses. The results suggest that perceived behavior control, subjective norms, and trust in the authorities are significant motivators for the actual use and continued intention to use facial masks in Brazil.