Public response to community mitigation measures for pandemic influenza

• Published in: Emerging infectious diseases Vol. 14; no. 5; pp. 778 - 786
• Main Authors: Blendon, Robert J, Koonin, Lisa M, Benson, John M, Cetron, Martin S, Pollard, William E, Mitchell, Elizabeth W, Weldon, Kathleen J, Herrmann, Melissa J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 01-05-2008
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Child; Child, Preschool; Communicable Disease Control - methods; community participation; Disaster Planning - organization & administration; disease outbreaks; Disease Outbreaks - prevention & control; Health Policy; human influenza; Humans; Influenza, Human - epidemiology; Influenza, Human - prevention & control; Interviews as Topic; pandemics; Patient Acceptance of Health Care; Policy Review; Public Health; Public Opinion; public opinion polls; Residence Characteristics; surveys; United States; United States
• ISSN: 1080-6040; 1080-6059
• DOI: 10.3201/eid1405.071437

We report the results of a national survey conducted to help public health officials understand the public's response to community mitigation interventions for a severe outbreak of pandemic influenza. Survey results suggest that if community mitigation measures are instituted, most respondents would comply with recommendations but would be challenged to do so if their income or job were severely compromised. The results also indicate that community mitigation measures could cause problems for persons with lower incomes and for racial and ethnic minorities. Twenty-four percent of respondents said that they would not have anyone available to take care of them if they became sick with pandemic influenza. Given these results, planning and public engagement will be needed to encourage the public to be prepared.