title: Awareness of the Pandemic H1N1 Influenza global outbreak 2009 among medical students in Karachi, Pakistan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study aimed to assess student awareness of the pandemic pdmH1N1, including the students' attitudes and perceptions about treatment, severity of disease and preventive measures.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted among medical students of Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi. The data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire and results were analyzed using SPSS version 16.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 396 medical students participated in this study with a mean age of 21 (± 1.4). About 365 (92.2%) were unaware of pdmH1N1. It was identified as a viral disease by 339 (85.6%) students, and 282 (71.2%) students correctly identified it as a disease affecting humans and pigs. The most common source of knowledge was television by 259 (65.4%) respondents. Most common symptoms identified were fever by 287 (72.5%), sore throat by 169 (42.7%) and cough by 127 (32.1%). Regarding vaccine, 290 (73.2%) respondents replied that it is not available and 204 (51.5%) said there is no treatment available for pdmH1N1. In severity scale 162 (40.9%) students rated it as fatal disease. According to 205 (51.8%) respondents, avoiding close contact with sick people is an effective preventive measure followed by washing hands with soap 150 (37.1%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The awareness regarding pdmH1N1 was not adequate among students regarding disease transmission, preventive measures, vaccinations, and available treatment. As the pdmH1N1 has become a worldwide public health problem and Pakistan is at risk of outbreak, increased awareness would be a solution to avoid its spread and complications.
authors: Dow University Of Health Science, Karachi, Pakistan. zubair_khowaja@hotmail.com
authors: Zubair Ali
authors: ZA
authors: Khowaja
authors: Muhammad Idrees
authors: MI
authors: Soomro
authors: Abdul Khaliq
authors: AK
authors: Pirzada
authors: Muhammed Ahmed
authors: MA
authors: Yoosuf
authors: Vinod
authors: V
authors: Kumar
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D058873:Pandemics; D013337:Students, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult