Munskydd i kollektivtrafik En rättssociologisk studie om Folkhälsomyndighetens rekommendation

Sammanfattning: Battling the covid-19 pandemic, the Swedish authorities focal point as to reducing the spread of infection has mainly been brought about by the issuing of recommendations. The aim of this study is to examine the compliance of the recommendation issued by The Public Health Agency of Sweden (Folkhälsomyndigheten) regarding the carrying of masks in public transport. The results were explained using theories of social control and norms to find existing motifs behind the adherence. An internet-based survey was conducted via social media resulting in 292 completed surveys, following univariate and bivariate analyses. A quantitative thematic analysis was also applied on the data where the respondents were asked to freely reflect upon their actions towards their face mask behavior. The results showed that 51 % (n = 149) of the respondents were always using a face mask when travelling by public transport. Three motifs correlated with higher probability of wearing a face mask: younger age, less stigma against mask wearing and most prominently more knowledge about the face masks effectiveness as a precautionary method against preventing the spread of the virus. In the following analysis these were explained by using social control including the effects of stigma and peer pressure as behavior-altering phenomenons. Norm-theory was also applied concerning the three main components of the creation and reproduction of norms: will, knowledge and existing systems. A lack of strength or a stronger effect in some components respectively, explained the behavior of which the respondents exhibited.