Survey Reveals Country-Specific Differences in Preventive Behaviors During 2009 Influenza Pandemic

Many important strategies to reduce the spread of pandemic influenza need public participation. To assess public receptivity to such strategies, Steel-Fisher, et al. (2012) compared adoption of preventive behaviours in response to the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic among the public in five countries and examined whether certain non-pharmaceutical behaviours (such as handwashing) were deterrents to vaccination. The researchers also assessed public support for related public health recommendations.

Steel-Fisher, et al. (2012) used data from simultaneous telephone polls (mobile telephone and landline) in Argentina, Japan, Mexico, the UK and the U.S. In each country, interviews were conducted in a nationally representative sample of adults who were selected by the use of random digit dial techniques. The questionnaire asked people whether or not they had adopted each of various preventive behaviours (non-pharmaceuticalsuch as personal protective and social distancing behavioror vaccinations) to protect themselves or their family from H1N1 at any point during the pandemic.

Nine hundred people were surveyed in each country (except in the U.S. where 911 people were contacted). There were wide differences in the adoption of preventive behaviours between countries, although certain personal protective behaviors (e.g., handwashing) were more commonly adopted than social distancing behaviours (e.g., avoiding places where many people gather) across countries (89 percent versus 69 percent). These non-pharmaceutical behaviours did not reduce the likelihood of getting vaccinated in any country. There was also support across all countries for government recommendations related to school closure, avoiding places where many people gather, and wearing masks in public.

The researchers say their survey results show there is a need for country-specific approaches in pandemic policy planning that use both non-pharmaceutical approaches and vaccination.

Reference: Steel Fisher GK, et al. Public response to the 2009 influenza A H1N1 pandemic: a polling study in five countries. The Lancet Infectious Diseases. Early online publication Oct. 5, 2012.

Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases