Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2011;19(2):139-145.
doi: 10.1007/s10389-010-0373-3. Epub 2010 Oct 16.

Preventive behaviors, beliefs, and anxieties in relation to the swine flu outbreak among college students aged 18-24 years

Mehulkumar K Kanadiya  1 , Anthony M Sallar  1
Affiliations

Preventive behaviors, beliefs, and anxieties in relation to the swine flu outbreak among college students aged 18-24 years

Mehulkumar K Kanadiya et al. Z Gesundh Wiss. 2011.

Abstract

Aim: The objective of this study was to assess beliefs, misconception, and anxiety in relation to swine flu outbreak and whether perception of the outbreak predicted changes in behavior.

Subject and methods: In November 2009, we conducted an Internet-based cross-sectional survey of college students aged 18-24 years in a Midwestern State in the USA. We collected information on swine flu knowledge, perception on immunization safety, perceived efficacy of recommended behavior, changed behavior, and anxiety.

Results: Of the 236 respondents, 83.1% had some anxiety about swine flu, 64.8% believed avoiding crowded places was preventive, 33.5% believed the 2009 swine flu vaccine was safe, and 36.9% showed interest in receiving the vaccine. Misconceptions about swine flu contagion via eating cooked pork, water sources, and insect bites were common. Respondents were unaware of transmissions via contaminated objects and droplets. Only 42.6% were satisfied with governmental efforts. Women were more likely to wash hands frequently than men (odds ratio 2.80, p < 0.001).

Conclusion: There is a gap in swine flu knowledge, minimal risk reduction, increased amount of anxiety, and skepticism about swine flu vaccine safety. These gaps warrant serious attention to inform the public about specific actions regarding swine flu.

Keywords: 2009 H1N1 vaccine; College students; H1N1; Preventive behavior; Swine flu.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
a Respondents’ belief in the safety of the swine flu vaccine. b Respondents reporting the likelihood of getting swine flu vaccine in the future
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Calmes J, McNeil DG (2009) H1N1 widespread in 46 states as vaccines lag. New York Times
    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2007) Interim public health guidance for the use of facemasks and respirators in non-occupational community settings during an influenza pandemic. Available via http://www.flu.gov/professional/community/maskguidancecommunity.html. Accessed 8 Jun 2010
    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Update: influenza activity—United States, August 30–October 31, 2009. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2009;58:1236–1241. - PubMed
    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2009b) Influenza diagnostic testing during the 2009–2010 flu season. Available via http://cdc.gov/h1n1flu/diagnostic_testing_public_qa.htm. Accessed 9 Jun 2010
    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2009c) Do different age groups in the U.S. have different infection rates for the H1N1? Available via http://answers.flu.gov/questions/4242. Accessed 9 Jun 2010

LinkOut - more resources