title: Communicating public health advice after a chemical spill: results from national surveys in the United Kingdom and Poland.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to enhance public health preparedness for incidents that involve the large-scale release of a hazardous substance by examining factors likely to influence public responses to official guidance on how to limit their exposure.
  
  
  METHODS
  An online demographically representative survey was conducted in the United Kingdom (n = 601) and Poland (n = 602) to test the strength of association of trust in authorities, anxiety, threat, and coping appraisals with the intention to comply with advice to shelter in place following a hypothetical chemical spill. The impact of ease of compliance and style of message presentation were also examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants were more likely to comply if at home when the incident happened, but message presentation had little impact. Coping appraisals and trust were key predictors of compliance, but threat appraisals were associated with noncompliance. Anxiety was seen to promote behavioral change. UK participants were more likely to comply than Polish participants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Successful crisis communications during an emergency should aim to influence perceptions regarding the efficacy of recommended behaviors, the difficulties people may have in following advice, and perceptions about the cost of following recommended behaviors. Generic principles of crisis communication may need adaptation for national contexts.
authors.forename: Julia M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pearce
authors.forename: G James
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Rubin
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Amlôt
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wessely
authors.forename: M Brooke
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Rogers
mesh_terms: D055884:Chemical Hazard Release; D003142:Communication; D054626:Consumer Health Information; D004189:Disaster Planning; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D011044:Poland; D011634:Public Health; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom