title: Public risk perceptions and preventive behaviors during the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examines the public perception of the 2009 H1N1 influenza risk and its association with flu-related knowledge, social contexts, and preventive behaviors during the second wave of the influenza outbreak in Arizona.
  
  
  METHODS
  Statistical analyses were conducted on survey data, which were collected from a random-digit telephone survey of the general public in Arizona in October 2009.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The public perceived different levels of risk regarding the likelihood and their concern about contracting the 2009 H1N1 flu. These measures of risk perception were primarily correlated with people of Hispanic ethnicity, having children in the household, and recent seasonal flu experience in the previous year. The perceived likelihood was not strongly associated with preventive behaviors, whereas the perceived concern was significantly associated with precautionary and preparatory behaviors. The association between perceived concern and precautionary behavior persisted after controlling for demographic characteristics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pandemic preparedness and response efforts need to incorporate these findings to help develop effective risk communication strategies that properly induce preventive behaviors among the public.
authors.affiliation: 1School of Public Affairs,Arizona State University,Phoenix.
authors.forename: Yushim
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: 3School of Public Administration and Policy,Renmin University of China,Beijing,China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.affiliation: 2School of Human Evolution and Social Change,Arizona State University,Tempe,Arizona.
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jehn
authors.affiliation: 4National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health,Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences,Rockville,Maryland.
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Walsh
mesh_terms: D001130:Arizona; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D058873:Pandemics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: preventive behavior