Local Public Health Workers' Views on Responding to an Influenza Pandemic
Author Information
Author(s): Balicer Ran D, Omer Saad B, Barnett Daniel J, Everly George S Jr
Primary Institution: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Hypothesis
What factors influence local public health workers' willingness to report to duty during an influenza pandemic?
Conclusion
Many local health department workers may not report to duty during a pandemic due to various perceived risks and knowledge gaps.
Supporting Evidence
- Nearly half of the local health department workers are likely not to report to duty during a pandemic.
- Perception of the importance of one's role in the agency's response is a key factor in willingness to report.
- 83% of respondents felt they would benefit from additional training activities.
Takeaway
Most public health workers are worried about their safety and don't feel prepared to help during a flu pandemic, which means they might not show up to work when needed.
Methodology
Surveys were sent to employees at three health departments in Maryland to assess their perceptions and likelihood of reporting to duty during a pandemic.
Potential Biases
The sample may not fully represent the broader population of public health workers due to its limited geographic scope and non-random selection.
Limitations
The study was limited to three non-randomly selected health departments in Maryland, which may not represent all local health departments.
Participant Demographics
Participants included employees from three health departments in Maryland, with varying job classifications.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.003
Confidence Interval
CI 1.3–4.7
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website