Public Awareness of Invasive Fungal Diseases — United States, 2019

Abstract

* CDC licensed these data from Porter Novelli Public Services. Although Porter Novelli Public Services and its vendors are not subject to CDC IRB review, they do adhere to all professional standards and codes of conduct set forth by the Council of American Survey Research Organizations. Respondents are informed that their answers are being used for market research and they may refuse to answer any question at any time.

Epidemiological Characterization of Clinical Fungal Isolates from Pauls Stradinš Clinical University Hospital, Latvia: A 4-Year Surveillance Report

“…According to recent estimates in 2017, fungal infections create an economic burden of more than USD 7.2 billion (United States Dollars) on the healthcare system in the USA alone [ 41 ]. Further, in an educational survey conducted by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), more than two-thirds of the respondents failed to recognize any of the six common fungal infections listed in the survey [ 42 ]. This prompted the CDC to launch the “Think Fungus” yearly campaign to educate and spread awareness regarding various fungal infections [ 43 ].…”

The Multifaceted Role of Mating Type of the Fungus and Sex of the Host in Studies of Fungal Infections in Humans

“…Because invasive fungal diseases cause significant morbidity and mortality, awareness is critical for early diagnosis and treatment. Public awareness of invasive fungal diseases was low in the 2019 U.S. study, with approximately two-thirds of respondents having never heard of any of the fungal diseases included in the study [ 31 ]. The least known fungal disease was blastomycosis (4.1% of participants), followed by aspergillosis, histoplasmosis, coccidioidomycosis, and cryptococcosis, and the best known was candidiasis (24.6%) [ 31 ].…”

“…Public awareness of invasive fungal diseases was low in the 2019 U.S. study, with approximately two-thirds of respondents having never heard of any of the fungal diseases included in the study [ 31 ]. The least known fungal disease was blastomycosis (4.1% of participants), followed by aspergillosis, histoplasmosis, coccidioidomycosis, and cryptococcosis, and the best known was candidiasis (24.6%) [ 31 ]. Individuals who knew one fungal disease were more likely to recognize the others.…”

“…Male sex, higher educational level, and higher number of prescribed medications were associated with higher knowledge of fungal diseases overall. Women were more than three times as likely as men to recognize candidiasis [ 31 ]. Further educational efforts are needed to increase people’s awareness of fungal infections.…”

Consensus guidelines for improving patients' understanding of invasive fungal disease and related risk prevention in the haematology/oncology setting, 2021

“…A 2019 survey of the general public conducted in the United States of America (n = 4677 participants over the age of 18) found low awareness of IFD, with 68.9% of respondents having not heard of any of the most common types of IFD. 66 A better understanding of IFD and its risks is essential for building productive partnerships between clinicians and their patients that support appropriate risk management and in turn, better outcomes. Without further research, it is likely that patients will continue to engage in risky behaviours, non-adherence and concomitant CAM use, risking unnecessary fungal exposure, poor treatment efficacy and adverse drug interactions.…”