Abstract
Background: During the past twenty years,
several newly emerged, zoonotic diseases have resulted in outbreaks
in the United States of America (U.S.). With these emergence events
and the increased role of media in health communication, public
risk perception has become an important factor influencing health
behaviors of the general public.
Objective: As a step toward understanding factors that
influence zoonotic disease risk perception, this analysis examined
demographic characteristics, disease knowledge, attitudes,
practices and media exposure as predictors of an elevated
perception of zoonotic disease risk
Methods: Results of a nationally representative survey were
used to construct a perceived zoonotic disease threat score (PTS).
Student's t-test was used to examine the difference in mean PTS
between individuals with and without each exposure or
characteristic of interest. Exploratory factor analysis was
conducted to allow further characterization of the relationship
between individual characteristics and elevated PTS. Results of the
exploratory factor analysis were used in the construction of a
logistic regression model predicting the odds of elevated
PTS.
Results: Exploratory factor analysis resulted in a three
factor solution, with each factor named based on the concepts it
represents (Prevention Behaviors, Knowledge Seeking Behaviors, H1N1
Concerns). A binary logistic regression model was constructed using
the 3 Factor solution, sex, race, household income, education
level, U.S. Census Division and having a child as predictors. When
adjusting for other demographic and lifestyle characteristics,
Knowledge Seeking Behaviors (Adjusted odds ratio 2.7; 95%
Confidence Interval 1.8-4.1), H1N1 Concerns (0.1; 0.007-0.7), male
sex (1.4; 0.98-2.1), Black race (2.3; 1.4-3.7), household income
levels above $24,999 and education levels beyond a high school
diploma each predicted an elevated PTS. Results from the logistic
regression model were similar to the results of the initial
correlation estimates.
Conclusion: The ability to use Knowledge Seeking Behaviors,
H1N1 Concerns, sex, race, household income and education level in
predicting populations with increased odds of having a high
perception of risk, can be an important tool allowing health
communicators target specific populations and create customized
public health messaging and zoonotic disease risk
communication.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
I. Background...Page 1
II. Methods...Page 6
III. Results...Page 9
IV. Discussion...Page 12
V. Future Directions...Page 16
VI. References...Page 18
VII. Tables....Page 24
a. Table 1: Infectious disease threat
questions
b. Table 2: Demographic characteristics
& mean perceived threat level of HealthStyles Respondents
2009
c. Table 3: Mean perceived threat level by
participant exposures, knowledge, attitudes and practices;
HealthStyles Respondents 2009
d. Table 4: Rotated Factor
Pattern
e. Table 5: Predictors of a High (>20)
Perceived Threat Score
VIII. Appendix: Census Regions and Divisions of
the United States...Page 29
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