Perceptions of Zika virus risk in Germany in 2016
Autor: | Rafael T. Mikolajczyk, Stefanie Castell, Nicole Rübsamen, André Karch, Carolina Judith Klett-Tammen, Mahrrouz Hoodgarzadeh, Julie Obenauer |
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Rok vydání: | 2017 |
Předmět: |
Adult
Male Risk Adolescent media_common.quotation_subject 030231 tropical medicine Zika virus Young Adult 03 medical and health sciences 0302 clinical medicine Pregnancy Hygiene Germany Surveys and Questionnaires Humans Medicine 030212 general & internal medicine Pregnancy Complications Infectious Young adult Aged media_common Travel biology Zika Virus Infection business.industry Transmission (medicine) Athletes Public Health Environmental and Occupational Health Currently pregnant Zika Virus Middle Aged Lower saxony biology.organism_classification medicine.disease Female Pregnant Women business Attitude to Health Demography |
Zdroj: | European Journal of Public Health. 28:139-144 |
ISSN: | 1464-360X 1101-1262 |
Popis: | Background Risks associated with Zika virus (ZIKV) transmission in the Americas have been discussed widely in the media as several European athletes declined to participate in the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. Since risk perceptions of individuals in unaffected areas are unknown, we assessed the risk perceptions of ZIKV and related behaviour in Lower Saxony, Germany, with a specific focus on pregnant women and their partners. Methods In May 2016, we surveyed 1,037 participants aged 15-69 years of an online panel (addressing hygiene and preventive behaviour regarding infections) in Lower Saxony with respect to their risk perceptions related to ZIKV. We additionally included 26 expectant parents who were recruited at antenatal preparation courses in Braunschweig and Hannover between May and July 2016. Results Six hundred fifty-five (69.1%) of the panel participants had ever heard about ZIKV. About 8% of the study participants reported to be concerned about ZIKV. Pregnant women had the highest odds of reporting concern about ZIKV (OR: 6.24; 95% CI: 2.94-13.26, reference: non-pregnant women). The vast majority of participants (79%) would travel to the Olympics if they won a free trip; this proportion was lower in currently pregnant women (46%). Risk perceptions towards ZIKV were considerably lower than those towards Ebola during the 2014 epidemic. Conclusion This study showed that fear of contracting ZIKV is not a major deterrent for travelling to high-risk areas. Pregnant women are appropriately concerned about the risk of ZIKV. Studies modelling the further spread of ZIKV need to account for these results. |
Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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