Pandemic Flu and Community Emergency Readiness

Purpose: Pandemic flu outbreaks seem imminent and millions of dollars are being spent in planning and preparedness. Yet, little is known about community understanding of such plans or their readiness for an avian flu outbreak. Methods: A series of three focus groups were held in lower income areas. Respondents were asked about their understanding of the avian flu and preparedness plans and to respond to a scenario describing a possible flu outbreak. Results: Although respondents had heard of the avian flu though news stories, they perceived it to be a problem of distant lands and were generally unfamiliar with the potential health threat including thinking that only some animals (chickens) would be affected. In each group, respondents reported that health protection plans would include measures like telling the public to “stop eating chicken,” destroying affected chickens and recalling poultry from stores. Community members thought that avian flu vaccines generally were available but were unsure if sufficient stores existed. They perceived that low income communities would be a low priority for vaccination and supported prioritizing vaccination of health providers. Respondents requested information on how to protect children, what specific symptoms would be and what was the cause of disease. Extensive debriefing was given post-group to answer such questions. Conclusions: Public health policy makers and planners need to address widespread misconceptions about pandemic flu and the viability of vaccine responses. In the event of avian flu or other pandemic threats, successful community response depends on pre-event understanding and implementation of health planning.