Primary care physicians' response to pandemic influenza in Hong Kong: a mixed quantitative and qualitative study.
OBJECTIVE
The current study was conducted to use a developed framework to appraise the public primary care response to pandemic 2009 influenza A H1N1 virus in Hong Kong in 2009.


METHODS
A cross-sectional survey was conducted of 300 doctors working in public primary care clinics. In addition, a qualitative study was conducted in two selected general outpatient clinics (GOPCs) with 10 doctors between September and December 2009.


RESULTS
We found that there was an increase in clinical service demand for public primary care doctors and that there was lower compliance with hand washing as compared to the wearing of masks among GOPC doctors during the study period.


CONCLUSIONS
Since hand hygiene and influenza vaccination are effective methods to prevent the spread of influenza infection, future studies should explore the reasons for non-compliance with these preventive behaviors among doctors. More education and training in dealing with influenza A H1N1 infection may be needed.
Division of Family Medicine and Primary Health Care, School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
Samuel Y S
SY
Wong
Kenny
K
Kung
Martin C S
MC
Wong
Carmen
C
Wong
Wendy
W
Tsui
King
K
Chan
Jun
J
Liang
Nelson L S
NL
Lee
Annie W L
AW
Cheung
Eliza L Y
EL
Wong
D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006235:Hand Disinfection / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058873:Pandemics; D058007:Physicians, Primary Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires