Singapore's response to the severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak: what do Singapore physicians think?
OBJECTIVE
To gauge Singapore physicians' perceptions of the national response to the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak using a questionnaire survey.


METHODS
Random sampling was applied to draw the survey population. Descriptive analysis and logistic regressions were used.


RESULTS
The majority of physicians agreed that home quarantine of contacts of patients with probable SARS was warranted (95%), government's public education effort was effective (83%), and the overall Singapore's response was commendable (82%). Only 38%, however, agreed that health care workers were supplied with timely and adequate personal protective equipment.


CONCLUSIONS
Most Singapore physicians have positive comments about the national response to the SARS crisis. However, systematic weaknesses are identified and recommendations are presented.
Qian
Feng
F
Department of Community and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Rochester, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Box 644, Rochester, NY 14642, USA. feng_qian@urmc.rochester.edu
Lim
Meng Kin
MK
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003625:Data Collection; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012846:Singapore / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult