The Public’s Response to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome in Toronto and the United States

Blendon, Robert J.; Benson, John M.; DesRoches, Catherine M.; Raleigh, Elizabeth; Taylor-Clark, Kalahn

doi:10.1086/382355

Cited by 356 publications

(352 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…25,29 Our results were also consistent with a number of surveys reporting that significant numbers of people-in some cases up to 90%-indicate they may not comply with official directives to shelter-inplace or evacuate. 41,[53][54][55] The status of family members, especially children in school, and knowledge of preparedness plans for family members in other locations are determining factors for adherence to shelterin-place directives.…”

Section: Public Actions In An Eventsupporting

confidence: 90%

Communicating With the Public About Emerging Health Threats: Lessons From the Pre-Event Message Development Project

et al. 2008

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Objectives. We sought to better understand the challenges of communicating with the public about emerging health threats, particularly threats involving toxic chemicals, biological agents, and radioactive materials. Methods. At the request of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we formed an interdisciplinary consortium of investigative teams from 4 schools of public health. Over 2 years, the investigative teams conducted 79 focus group interviews with 884 participants and individual cognitive response interviews with 129 respondents, for a total sample of 1013 individuals. The investigative teams systematically compared their results with other published research in public health, risk communication, and emergency preparedness. Results. We found limited public understanding of emerging biological, chemical, and radioactive materials threats and of the differences between them; demand for concrete, accurate, and consistent information about actions needed for protection of self and family; active information seeking from media, local authorities, and selected national sources; and areas in which current emergency messaging can be improved. Conclusions. The public will respond to a threat situation by seeking protective information and taking self-protective action, underlining the critical role of effective communication in public health emergencies.

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Section: Public Actions In An Eventsupporting

confidence: 90%

Communicating With the Public About Emerging Health Threats: Lessons From the Pre-Event Message Development Project

et al. 2008

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“…Governments and public health agencies may promote targeted social distancing as a strategy, in the form of school or workplace closures. Social distancing also arises as individuals respond to news about disease spread, obtained from media reports, public announcements, rumours and individual experience [51]. Recognizing the importance of behavioral responses in populations has altered the way epidemiological modelers consider transmission [52][53][54][55][56][57][58].…”

Section: Basic Concepts In Infectious Disease Epidemiologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Statistical physics of vaccination

et al. 2016

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Historically, infectious diseases caused considerable damage to human societies, and they continue to do so today. To help reduce their impact, mathematical models of disease transmission have been studied to help understand disease dynamics and inform prevention strategies. Vaccination-one of the most important preventive measures of modern times-is of great interest both theoretically and empirically. And in contrast to traditional approaches, recent research increasingly explores the pivotal implications of individual behavior and heterogeneous contact patterns in populations. Our report reviews the developmental arc of theoretical epidemiology with emphasis on vaccination, as it led from classical models assuming homogeneously mixing (mean-field) populations and ignoring human behavior, to recent models that account for behavioral feedback and/or population spatial/social structure. Many of the methods used originated in statistical physics, such as lattice and network models, and their associated analytical frameworks. Similarly, the feedback loop between vaccinating behavior and disease propagation forms a coupled nonlinear system with analogs in physics. We also review the new paradigm of digital epidemiology, wherein sources of digital data such as online social media are mined for high-resolution information on epidemiologically relevant individual behavior. Armed with the tools and concepts of statistical physics, and further assisted by new sources of digital data, models that capture nonlinear interactions between behavior and disease dynamics offer a novel way of modeling real-world phenomena, and can help improve health outcomes. We conclude the review by discussing open problems in the field and promising directions for future research.

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“…Prior research has shown that when people are more concerned about a health threat, they are more likely to change their behavior. 6 In countries with higher numbers of SARS cases, respondents reported significantly higher levels of concern about the disease. Respondents in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taiwan were significantly more worried than U.S. respondents that Q u a r a n t i n e…”

Section: Study Findingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Attitudes Toward The Use Of Quarantine In A Public Health Emergency In Four Countries

et al. 2006

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Countries worldwide face the threat of emerging infectious diseases. To understand the public's reaction to the use of widespread quarantine should such an outbreak occur, the Harvard School of Public Health, with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, undertook a survey of residents of Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, and the United States. A sizable proportion of the public in each country opposed compulsory quarantine. Respondents were concerned about overcrowding, infection, and inability to communicate with family members while in quarantine. Officials will need specific plans to deal with the public's concerns about compulsory quarantine policies. C o u n t r i e s wo r l d w i d e fac e t h e g l o b a l t h r e at of newly emerging infectious diseases such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and pandemic influenza. These types of diseases can create serious problems for international and local public health authorities and health professionals: They can be highly contagious and can lead to death or serious illness. Such diseases also can have major economic impacts.1 These concerns are often heightened by the lack of proven vaccines or effective treatments for those who become infected. Thus, the importance of containing these diseases before widespread transmission occurs becomes a priority for public health policy and planning.

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The Public’s Response to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome in Toronto and the United States

Cited by 356 publications

References 15 publications

Communicating With the Public About Emerging Health Threats: Lessons From the Pre-Event Message Development Project

Communicating With the Public About Emerging Health Threats: Lessons From the Pre-Event Message Development Project

Statistical physics of vaccination

Attitudes Toward The Use Of Quarantine In A Public Health Emergency In Four Countries

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