Psychological Distress During Australia's Equine Influenza Outbreak
Author Information
Author(s): Melanie R Taylor, Kingsley E Agho, Garry J Stevens, Beverley Raphael
Primary Institution: University of Western Sydney
Hypothesis
What factors influence psychological distress during a disease epidemic?
Conclusion
The study found that 34% of respondents reported high psychological distress during the equine influenza outbreak, significantly higher than the general population.
Supporting Evidence
- 34% of respondents reported high psychological distress, compared to 12% in the general population.
- Those in high-risk infection zones were at much greater risk of high psychological distress.
- Younger individuals and those with lower education levels were more vulnerable to high psychological distress.
- Respondents whose income was linked to the horse industry were more than twice as likely to report high psychological distress.
Takeaway
When a disease outbreak happened in Australia, many horse owners felt very sad and stressed, much more than usual.
Methodology
Data were collected through an online survey targeting horse owners and those in the horse industry, using the Kessler 10 Psychological Distress Scale to measure psychological distress.
Potential Biases
The sample had a higher proportion of women and individuals with higher education, which may have influenced the reported levels of psychological distress.
Limitations
The study's sample may not accurately represent all horse owners in Australia due to demographic biases and the use of an online survey.
Participant Demographics
{"gender_distribution":{"male":410,"female":2326},"age_distribution":{"under_16":36,"16-24":224,"25-34":482,"35-44":908,"45-54":771,"55-64":277,"65-74":39,"75+":3},"education_levels":{"none":65,"school_certificate":407,"HSC":394,"TAFE/Vocational":746,"university/tertiary":1109}}
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 1.57–2.55
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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