Data from: Community psychological and behavioral responses through the first wave of the 2009 influenza A(H1N1) pandemic in Hong Kong

Background. Little is known about the community psychological and behavioral responses to influenza pandemics. Methods. Using random digit dialing, we sampled 12,965 Hong Kong residents in 13 cross-sectional telephone surveys between April and November 2009, covering the entire first wave of the 2009 influenza A(H1N1) pandemic. We examined trends in anxiety, risk perception, knowledge on modes of transmission, and preventive behaviors. Results. Respondents reported low anxiety levels throughout the epidemic. Perceived susceptibility to infection and perceived severity of H1N1 were initially high but declined early in the epidemic and remained stable thereafter. As the epidemic grew, knowledge on modes of transmission did not improve, the adoption of hygiene measures and use of face masks did not change, and social distancing declined. Greater anxiety was associated with lower reported use of hygiene measures but greater social distancing. Knowledge that H1N1 could be spread by indirect contact was associated with greater use of hygiene measures and social distancing. Conclusions. The lack of substantial change in preventive measures or knowledge about the modes of H1N1 transmission in the general population suggests that community mitigation measures played little role in mitigating the impact of the first wave of 2009 influenza A(H1N1) pandemic in Hong Kong.

研究背景 目前学界对公众针对流感大流行（influenza pandemic）的心理与行为反应所知甚少。研究方法 本研究于2009年4月至11月期间，采用随机数字拨号（random digit dialing）法，针对香港居民开展了13项横断面电话调查（cross-sectional telephone survey），累计抽样12965名受访者，覆盖了2009年甲型H1N1流感大流行的首轮疫情全程。本研究分析了焦虑情绪、风险感知、传播途径认知及预防行为的变化趋势。研究结果 调查显示，疫情期间受访者整体焦虑水平偏低。疫情初期，公众对感染的感知易感性（perceived susceptibility）及甲型H1N1流感的感知严重性（perceived severity）均处于较高水平，但在疫情早期便出现回落，此后维持稳定。随着疫情发展，公众对传播途径的认知未得到提升，卫生措施落实与口罩佩戴情况无明显变化，而社交距离（social distancing）相关行为呈下降趋势。焦虑程度更高的受访者，报告的卫生措施使用频率更低，但社交距离行为实施得更多。知晓甲型H1N1流感可通过间接接触传播的受访者，更倾向于落实卫生措施并保持社交距离。研究结论 普通公众对甲型H1N1流感传播途径的认知及预防措施未出现显著变化，这表明在香港地区，2009年甲型H1N1流感大流行首轮疫情期间，社区缓解措施（community mitigation measures）对疫情影响的抑制作用较为有限。