Study outcomes
Anxiety, anxiety, breathlessness, depression, Depression
The primary outcome was the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) [The DASS-21 is a 21-question rating scale comprising a three-factor construct of depression, anxiety, and stress. The responses to the questions were scored as 0 (did not apply to me at all), 1 (applied to me to some degree or some of the time), 2 (applied to me to a considerable degree or a good part of time), and 3 (applied to me very much or most of the time). The participants responded by selecting the option that was closest to their current condition in the last week. The responses to each question (from 0 to 3 points) were tabulated, and the scores for depression, anxiety, and stress for each factor item were calculated and evaluated. In this study, we used the Japanese version of the DASS-21 (Short-form version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale) to assess participants’ levels of depression, anxiety, and stress [To assess whether they were feeling breathlessness while wearing a mask, participants responded by choosing the option that was closest to their condition in the last two weeks. The questions were scored from 1 to 4 points, and the response options ranged from 1 (not feeling breathlessness) to 4 (feeling breathlessness). In this study, we employed a 4-level rating to evaluate the perception of mask breathless among participants. This approach was considered suitable for our study’s specific context and objectives.The WHO-5 Well-Being Index consists of five questions, with each question scored from 0 to 5 points. The response options ranged from 0 (at no time) to 5 (all of the time). Participants responded by selecting the option that was closest to their condition in the last two weeks. The original items for the five questions were as follows: Question 1 (W1): “I have felt cheerful and in good spirits”; Question 2 (W2): “I have felt calm and relaxed”; Question 3 (W3): “I have felt active and vigorous”; Question 4 (W4): “I woke up feeling fresh and rested”; and Question 5 (W5): “My daily life has been filled with things that interest me.” In this study, we used the Japanese translated version of the WHO-5 [