[Differences in the recognition of avian influenza risk between poultry farmers and the general population]

In this study, we aimed to compare the risk-recognition of avian influenza between poultry farmers and the general population.

To obtain health-related data, including the participants' awareness of avian influenza, their recognition of potential infection, and their risk image, or their level of fear and understanding an anonymous self-reported questionnaire was administered. We measured the risk image on a 7-point scale, with 1 representing the lowest and 7 representing the highest risk image. Using their responses from 8 questions (4 per factor), We then calculated and averaged the scores to obtain the fear factor and unknown factor scores.

This questionnaire was completed by 310 of 1,000 (31.0%) members of the general population and 198 of 976 (20.3%) poultry farmers. The two groups differed significantly in terms of their overall awareness and understanding of severe acute respiratory syndrome (odds ratio=0.49 P=.003), with the general population scoring significantly lower than the poultry farmers. The risk image scores showed significant differences in fear factor (β=-0.89, P<.001) and unknown factor (β=0.74, P<.001), with the risk image for the fear factor being lower and that of the unknown factor being higher in the general population when compared with the poultry famers.

We found there to be a definite gap in the recognition of avian influenza between the two subject groups.