Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #112976

Sandra Crouse Quinn, PhD¹, Tammy Thomas, MSW, MPH², and Carol L. McAllister, PhD². (1) Dept of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, 230 Parran Hall, 130 DeSoto St, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, 412-624-3124, squinn@pitt.edu, (2) Dept of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, 130 Parran Hall, 221 Parran Hall, Pittsburgh, PA 15261

In 2001, the nation experienced its first bioterrorist attack when anthrax was sent through the United States Postal Service. Twenty-one postal facilities were contaminated, and nine postal workers contracted anthrax. Six were diagnosed with inhalational anthrax and three with cutaneous anthrax. Ultimately, two postal workers in Washington DC died. Public health officials were challenged to determine the appropriate interventions for the prevention and treatment of weaponized anthrax during a time of great uncertainty and rapidly evolving science. This presentation will describe the findings of a qualitative study utilizing focus groups, key informant interviews and individual interviews with postal workers and public health professionals.

Among the topic areas explored were the use of antibiotic prophylactics and reactions to the anthrax vaccine. Issues around trust emerged as the most significant determinant in postal workers' decisions to follow medication advice. Additionally, postal workers did not believe they had enough information to make good decisions about antibiotic use, needed more access to ask questions, and were leery of taking medications without consulting a doctor. They were concerned about side effects, adding a new medication to their medication regime, and the effects of a given medication on their health. Long-term effects from medications also were a significant concern. Finally, there was significant distrust and fear of “being experimented upon” when they were offered the option of taking the anthrax vaccine. The presentation will address implications for crisis and emergency risk communication in a bioterrorist event and management of mass distribution of medications in an emergency.

Learning Objectives:

• As a result of participating in this session, participants will be able to describe how issues of trust impacted decisions around adherence to medical advice during a crisis.
• As a result of this session, each participant will be able to identify critical components for successful risk communication in the context of a bioterrorist event.

Keywords: Bioterrorism, Risk Communication

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation