Population Behavior Regarding the Use of Face Masks to Prevent the Transmission of Respiratory Infections: Lessons to Be Learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Historically, the use of a face mask has been associated with personal protection during epidemics. However, the type of mask used and the way it is used can affect the level of protection it provides. To analyze the practices of using face masks in the population in the Northeast of Brazil, a cross-sectional study was carried out, from December 2021 to February 2022, through interviews with 308 people at bus stops (simple random sample).