Senior High School Students' Perception on the Use of Masks to Prevent COVID-19 in Ghana

Abstract

The present study examines the perception of senior high school (SHS) students on the coronavirus and the use of masks to prevent the disease. Semi-structured interviews were employed as a form of data collection with purposively sampled twenty-four (24) senior high school students comprising twelve (12) males and twelve (12) females aged sixteen to nineteen (16-19) years. Thematic analysis was used in analysing the qualitative data gathered. Six (6) themes emerged that centered around SHS students' perception of the coronavirus, wearing of masks, health effects and other general ideas on the pandemic. The main themes were the mode of spread, symptoms, prevention, reasons for wearing masks, the health effects of wearing masks and other issues. The findings were discussed in line with recent literature and recommendations have been made to the stakeholders for policy direction. In sum, the students usually follow the safety protocols instituted by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the government to stay alive and protected as they are aware of the adverse effects of contracting the disease which include death and liver damage when one even recovers.