Knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors about West Nile virus--Connecticut, 2002

Since West Nile virus (WNV) was first recognized in the United States in 1999, the geographic distribution has widened progressively, and the resulting human morbidity and mortality has increased. The cornerstones of WNV control and prevention are 1) surveillance with sustained and integrated mosquito control to detect the presence of WNV in areas where humans are at risk and 2) public education on the use of personal protective behaviors (PPBs) and peridomestic mosquito control to reduce the risk for mosquito bites. In Connecticut, strategies to improve public education and WNV-risk awareness consist of issuing graded warnings after assessing local surveillance findings during the transmission season. In 2002, three of the 17 Connecticut patients with confirmed WNV infection reported having used any PPBs. To assess knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors about WNV during the transmission season, the Connecticut Department of Public Health added questions about WNV to its Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey conducted during August-November 2002. This report summarizes the results of that analysis, which indicate that general awareness of WNV and knowledge of elderly persons being at risk for more severe illness were high; however, awareness of local surveillance findings was poor, and belief in the local presence of WNV did not predict the use of PPBs. The findings underscore the need for continued public education about the risk for WNV infection and the use of PPBs and the need for regular systematic evaluations of knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors to refine and improve public health messages effectively.