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According to a survey study, face masks, which are considered to be a key tool in preventing the Covid-19 infection, have impeded the ability to communicate and connect with others.
The study, carried out by the researchers at the University of Manchester, found through an online survey of 460 people that around 60 per cent of participants communicated differently after wearing a face mask.
The online survey took place between June and July 2020, before face covering was made compulsory in public places.
Study design
For the study, participants who were around 18 years of age were recruited via snowball sampling through social media (Twitter, Facebook) and emails sent to professional and personal networks.
Findings
The researchers noted in their study that with very few exceptions, participants reported that face coverings negatively impacted hearing, understanding, engagement, and feelings of connection with the speaker.
A comparison of the red bars across listening situations suggests that the negative impacts of face coverings are greater when communicating in medical situations (doctor, pharmacist, hospital visits) than when communicating with family/friends, shop assistants, and at work. This problem gets more pronounced for people with hearing and speaking impairments.
Principal Investigator Dr Gabrielle H Saunders, a Senior Research Fellow at The University of Manchester, said: “The results of this survey illustrate that the impact of face coverings on the way we all communicate is far-reaching, going well beyond the acoustics of speech transmission.”
He added: “The face coverings increased anxiety and stress, and made communication fatiguing, frustrating and embarrassing – both as a speaker wearing a face covering, and when listening to someone else who is wearing one.”
The researchers stated that covering up the lower part of the face can restrict communication by limiting sound transmission – making speech sound muffled, removing visible cues from the mouth and lips.
Saunders from the research team based at the Manchester Centre for Audiology and Deafness said: “Although face coverings are essential weapons in the fight to contain Covid-19, we were surprised by the depth of feeling they generated.”
The study is published in the International Journal of Audiology.
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