Pandemic Preparedness in Small and Medium Businesses in Australia
Author Information
Author(s): Rochelle E Watkins, Feonagh C Cooke, Robert J Donovan, C Raina MacIntyre, Ralf Itzwerth, Aileen J Plant
Primary Institution: Curtin University of Technology
Hypothesis
What factors influence the preparedness of small and medium businesses for pandemic influenza?
Conclusion
Small and medium businesses in Australia are not well prepared for pandemic influenza, with many lacking plans and needing assistance.
Supporting Evidence
- Only 6% of participants reported having a pandemic influenza plan.
- 39% of participants had not thought at all about the impact of pandemic influenza on their business.
- Over 60% stated they required help to prepare for a pandemic.
Takeaway
Most small businesses in Australia haven't thought much about how to prepare for a pandemic, and many say they need help to get ready.
Methodology
Semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted with small and medium business owners or managers, followed by binomial logistic regression analysis.
Potential Biases
Response bias may have resulted in overestimation of preparedness due to social desirability.
Limitations
The study's cross-sectional design limits causal conclusions, and the non-random sampling may affect generalizability.
Participant Demographics
Participants were small and medium business owners or managers from New South Wales and Western Australia.
Statistical Information
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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