Perceptions Related to Bird-to-Human Avian Influenza, Influenza Vaccination, and Use of Face Mask

BACKGROUND: H5N1 avian influenza may become pandemic in humans in the near future. According to the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) experience, anticipation of the pandemic may have impact on behaviors related to influenza vaccination (IV) and relevant public health behaviors such as wearing a face mask when having influenza-like-illnesses (ILI), which would play an important role in the control of human avian influenza outbreaks. This paper investigated the prevalence and factors related to IV uptake and use of face mask in public venues when having ILI symptoms. METHODS: An anonymous cross-sectional population-based random telephone survey of 302 Hong Kong Chinese adults aged 18–60, using a structured questionnaire, was conducted in November 2005. RESULTS: In the last 3 months, 17.9% of the respondents received IV; 36.6% of those presenting ILI symptoms often used face mask in public venues. Anticipation of a bird-to-human H5N1 outbreak, perceptions that such an outbreak would be worse than SARS, that IV was efficacious in preventing bird-to-human avian influenza transmission were associated with the studied IV behavior (OR=2.64–3.97, p < 0.05). Exposure to live birds, perceived similar symptoms between influenza and bird-to-human H5N1 avian influenza, that bird-to-human avian influenza was more lethal than SARS were predictive use of face mask when having ILI symptoms (OR = 4.25–8.34, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of IV and use of face mask in the study population may be increasing, which may be related to concerns of avian influenza. Perceptions related to human avian influenza were associated with IV and mask use behaviors. This can potentially be turned into opportunities of promoting desirable public health behaviors.