Cold/flu knowledge, attitudes and health care practices: results of a two-city telephone survey.
The purpose of this paper is to describe knowledge, attitudes and practices of cold and flu self-care and health care utilization, and to identify the predictors of health care utilization for the cold and flu among residents of London and Windsor. Using a random digit dialing survey method, 417 residents were interviewed between November-December, 1993 and February-March, 1994. This survey revealed good knowledge about colds and flu and understanding of appropriate physician visits. Only seven percent reported a doctor visit for their last cold. Socio-demographic, health status, attitude and knowledge level variables were subjected to a logistic regression analysis to identify which variables predicted self-reported physician visits. Only attitudes and health status showed statistically significant log odds (3.6 and 1.5, respectively). In summary, consistent with other studies, attitude and health status, not knowledge, appear to be significant predictors of physician visits for colds/flu.
Population and Community Health Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London. evelyn.vingilis@med.uwo.ca
E R
ER
Vingilis
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U
Brown
J
J
Sarkella
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M
Stewart
B K
BK
Hennen
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003139:Common Cold / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009864:Ontario; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013689:Telephone; D014504:Urban Health