Grand Forks Mask Usage

Action Research Project

Social Work and Public Health Interdisciplinary Team
Purpose
In a partnership between UND, the City of Grand
Forks, Public Health, and Hugo's, we are
conducting an IRB approved research project on
face mask usage in Grand Forks. Our data will
be used in our city's continued efforts to
navigate the COVID-19 pandemic.
Through observational data, survey data, and
interview data, the purpose of this study is to
inform public health messages and promote
protective behaviors until a vaccine is available.
Methods
Parking Lot Observations
• Collected data on community face mask usage at local Hugo’s
Stores

Surveys
• QR code given out at Hugo’s and through social media
• Incentivized with gift card drawing

Interviews
• Gain information on grand forks community and covid-19 from
key informants

City Council Presentations

• Face Covering Advocacy Presentation 8/10/20
• Covid-19 Presentation 10/19/20
 Delton and Emily’s
Observation Experiences
 Observation Results
TOTAL Sample (n=16,447 individuals)
Dates: 6.22.2020-7.28.2020
All five Hugo’s locations in Grand Forks and East Grand Forks
YA: Young Adults MA: Middle Aged
 Weekly Comparison of Observational Data

Week Face Covering No Face Covering

n (%) n (%)
1: 6.22-6.28 1060 (35.6%) 2000 (65.4%)
2: 6.29-7.5 998 (36.2%) 1756 (63.8%)
3: 7.6-7.12 1363 (39.8%) 2063 (60.2%)
4: 7.13-7.19 1088 (41.8%) 1514 (58.2%)
5: 7.20-7.26 1832 (64%) 1031 (36%)
6: 7.27-7.28 1312 (75.3%) 430 (24.7%)
Weekly Comparison of Observational Data
by Age

Week Face Covering Face Covering Face Covering Face Covering

n (%) n (%) n (%) n (%)
Child YA MA Senior
1: 6.22-6.28 34 (21%) 342 (30.6%) 414 (32.7%) 270 (52.0%)

2: 6.29-7.5 23 (19.5%) 340 (28.4%) 419 (39%) 216 (58.7%)

3: 7.6-7.12 37 (19.4%) 484 (33.4%) 549 (42.2%) 293 (60.4%)

4: 7.13-7.19 33 (24%) 436 (36.7%) 403 (43%) 216 (63%)

5: 7.20-7.26 60 (49.6%) 683 (57.7%) 769 (65.4%) 320 (83.1%)

6: 7.27-7.28 52 (68.4%) 568 (70.0%) 508 (78.2%) 184 (89.7%)

 Weekly Comparison of Observational Data
by Gender

Week Female Male Female No Male No

Face Covering Face Covering Face Covering Face Covering
n (%) n (%) n (%) n (%)
1: 6.22-6.28 587 (38.6%) 473 (30.7%) 933 (61.4%) 1067 (69.3%)
2: 6.29-7.5 546 (39.5%) 452 (33%) 838 (60.5%) 918 (67%)
3: 7.6-7.12 780 (45.1%) 583 (34.4%) 949 (54.9%) 1114 (65.6%)
4: 7.13-7.19 613 (48.8%) 475 (35.5%) 644 (51.2%) 870 (64.7%)
5: 7.20-7.26 998 (70.8%) 834 (57.4%) 411 (29.2%) 620 (42.6%)
6: 7.27-7.28 706 (80.7%) 606 (69.9%) 169 (19.3%) 261 (30.1%)
 Weekly Comparison of Observational Data
by Age and Gender

Week Female Male CHILD Female YA Male YA Female MA Male MA Female Male
CHILD Face Face Face Face Face SENIOR SENIOR
Face Covering Covering Covering Covering Covering Face Face
Covering n (%) n (%) n (%) n (%) n (%) Covering Covering
n (%) n (%) n (%)
1: 6.22-6.28 17 (21.8%) 17 (20.7%) 180 (30.7%) 162 (30.6%) 251 (40%) 163 (25.5%) 139 (60.7%) 131 (45.2%)

2: 6.29-7.5 12 (18.5%) 11 (20.7%) 189 (30.2%) 151 (26.4%) 240 (44.7%) 179 (33.5%) 105 (66.8%) 111 (52.6%)

3: 7.6-7.12 20 (20.8%) 17 (17.9%) 275 (36.8%) 209 (29.8%) 325 (49.2%) 224 (35%) 160 (70.8%) 133 (51.4%)

4: 7.13-7.19 21 (32.3%) 12 (16.7%) 249 (41.7%) 187 (31.8%) 229 (53.1%) 174 (34.4%) 114 (69.5%) 102 (57%)

5: 7.20-7.26 29 (40.8%) 31 (62%) 385 (65.3%) 298 (50.3%) 421 (74.8%) 348 (56.8%) 163 (88.1%) 157 (78.5%)

6: 7.27-7.28 30 (71.4%) 22 (64.7%) 321 (77%) 247 (62.7%) 271 (83.1%) 237 (73%) 84 (93.3%) 100 (87%)
Survey
Purpose of the Study
• To learn more about the use of face coverings in
response to the transmission of COVID-19

How the survey was conducted

• Online through the use of a QR code

Types of questions asked

Benefit of completing the survey

Survey Results
Next Steps
• Continuation of Interviews
• Expansion from the city of Grand Forks to the
state of North Dakota
• Publications
• Presentations
Key Findings
• Women were more likely than men to wear masks.

• Seniors (65+) were the most likely to wear masks.

• Over ⅔ of young adults (18-40) were observed

wearing masks voluntarily

• Over the six weeks of data collection, all observed

groups had increased face covering usage.
Significant Conclusions

1. Leaders have greater influence on behavior

than they may realize.
2. Hugo’s leadership, and their requirement
seems to have had a direct impact on getting
more people to wear masks.
3. City government needs to continue and
improve support for key stakeholders like
UND and Altru.
4. Preventing COVID-19 is a shared
responsibility.