Public Perception of Influenza Pandemic Risks in Norway
Author Information
Author(s): Kristiansen Ivar S, Halvorsen Peder A, Gyrd-Hansen Dorte
Primary Institution: Institute of Health Management and Health Economics, University of Oslo, Norway
Hypothesis
What are people's perceptions of the mortality risk during an influenza pandemic compared to health authorities' predictions?
Conclusion
Many Norwegians perceive the mortality risk of an influenza pandemic to be lower than what health authorities estimate, and most are willing to take some precautions but not significantly disruptive ones.
Supporting Evidence
- 80% of respondents would be careful about personal hygiene during a pandemic.
- Only 2% would stay away from work, and 4% would move to an isolated place.
- 48% thought the mortality risk would be lower than the estimate of health authorities.
- Less than 1% of respondents had purchased Tamiflu® despite many believing it could reduce mortality risk.
- 65% of respondents trusted information from health authorities.
Takeaway
Most people think a flu pandemic won't be as deadly as experts say, and while they want to be careful, they don't plan to change their lives much.
Methodology
Cross-sectional web-based survey of Norwegians aged 16–82 years.
Potential Biases
Responses may suffer from hypothetical bias as they were based on intentions rather than actual behavior during a pandemic.
Limitations
The sample was not entirely representative of the adult Norwegian population, with underrepresentation of women, poorly educated individuals, and those with lower incomes.
Participant Demographics
Mean age of respondents was 45 years, 45% were female, and the sample was fairly representative of the general population.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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