The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #73368

John McLeod, RS¹, Christopher Kippes, MS², Anna Mandalakas, MD, MS³, Asha Garg, MD, MPH⁴, Jeffrey Kile, MD³, Joe Sedransk, PhD⁵, and Marguerite A. Erme, DO, MPH¹. (1) MPH Program, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, 4209 State Route 44, Rootstown, OH 44272, (216) 443-6690, jmcleod@ccbh.net, (2) Division of Community Health Services, Cuyahoga County Board of Health, 1375 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115, (3) Pediatrics, University Hospital Health Systems, 11000 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106, (4) Preventive Medicine, University of South Carolina, 3209 Colonial Dr, Columbia, SC 29203, (5) Statistics, Case Western Reserve University, 11000 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106

Introduction: The public health impact of West Nile Virus (WNV) in Cuyahoga County, Ohio was immense. The public health community recognized a need to comprehensively understand the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of persons toward WNV. An understanding of the behaviors associated with preventive efforts toward WNV is necessary to help improve public health prevention education and other interventions to deter the public's exposure to this virus. Objective: To identify and compare the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of the known probable and confirmed WNV cases with the seropositive and seronegative cases from the Cuyahoga County Seroprevalence study. Methods: We used a case-control study design of known cases, with cases defined as probable/confirmed for WNV and controls defined as the participants in the Cuyahoga County Serosurvey. Results: We hypothesize: 1) Persons who reported a high degree of worry for WNV reported a higher frequency of protective behaviors; 2) Persons who reported a high degree of worry for being exposed to pesticides reported a low frequency for using repellents; 3) Known WNV cases will report the lowest frequency of protective behaviors and seronegative will report the highest frequency of protective behaviors; 4) Knowledge and awareness of WNV did not improve the frequency of protective behaviors. Conclusions: As noted in prior serosurveys, we also expect the knowledge for WNV to be high with attitude low concerning repellent use, time spent outdoors, clothing worn and household maintenance.

Learning Objectives:

• The participants will understand the difference in knowledge, attitudes and behaviors between known seropositve and seronegative cases.
• The participants will understand the different methods used to make the public aware of WNV and the frequency of protective behaviors associated with their awareness and seroprevalence of WNV.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.