What is it about?
This study explores children’s preferences for different designs of KN95-style respirators in two highly polluted cities: Kathmandu, Nepal and Bandung, Indonesia. It aims to understand which designs and styles (e.g., strap type, color, pattern, shape) they prefer to wear. One of the key findings from the study is that most children preferred respirators with ear-loops over those with head-straps. This preference was driven by comfort, ease of use, and familiarity. Children found respirators with ear-loops simpler to put on and more comfortable to wear.
Featured Image
Photo by Md. Shazzadul Alam on Unsplash
Why is it important?
Since respirators are only effective if worn consistently and correctly, understanding and accommodating children's preferences is crucial. Understanding what children prefer can help manufacturers, policymakers, and humanitarian agencies design and distribute respirators that children are more likely to wear consistently, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where pollution levels are high.
Perspectives
My key take home message is that there is no single respirator design that will appeal to all children, but most children do have clear preferences for specific features. To encourage consistent use, especially in polluted environments, manufacturers and agencies should offer a variety of styles - including options for color, pattern, and strap type. If only one type can be provided, plain white or black respirators with ear-loops are likely to be the most broadly accepted. Ultimately, designing masks that children are willing to wear is essential for improving uptake and ensuring effective protection.
Judith Covey
Durham University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Children’s preferences for features and designs of KN95-style respirators: A comparative study between Indonesia and Nepal, PLOS One, October 2025, PLOS,
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0334116.
You can read the full text:
Resources
FACE-UP Project
The research in this paper was conducted as part of the Factors Affecting Childhood Exposures to Urban Particulates (FACE-UP) project that was funded by the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF; UKRI/MRC) to develop culturally-appropriate interventions to reduce children’s exposures to urban particulate pollution, with research focussed in Nepal and Indonesia.
Bad Air? Take Care! Wear a mask!
Is the air quality bad where you are? Are you looking for a way to protect your children? This cartoon teaches children about air pollution and how to properly put on a facemask. It also explains how air pollution can make people ill, how wearing a facemask can reduce exposure to particles in the air, and which types of facemasks offer the best protection. The animation was co-designed by the FACE-UP* project team, in collaboration with children, their caregivers and teachers, in Indonesia and Nepal. The videos are available in English (with Spanish subtitles, on YouTube), Nepalese and Bahasa Indonesia. They are endorsed by UNICEF, the Indonesian and Nepalese Ministries of Health, and international and national NGOs. The videos can also be viewed on UNICEF’s Children’s Environmental Health Collaborative Knowledge Library: https://ceh.unicef.org/events-and-resources/knowledge-library/protecting-children-air-pollution
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
