Level of concern and precaution taking among Australians regarding travel during pandemic (H1N1) 2009: results from the 2009 Queensland social survey

Leggat, Peter A., Brown, Lawrence H., Aitken, Peter, and Speare, Richard (2010) Level of concern and precaution taking among Australians regarding travel during pandemic (H1N1) 2009: results from the 2009 Queensland social survey. Journal of Travel Medicine, 17 (5). pp. 291-295.

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Abstract

Background: Global disease outbreaks, such as the recent Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (the so-called Swine flu), may have an impact on travel, including raising the concerns of travelers. The objective of this study was to examine the level of concern of Australians regarding travel during Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 and how this impacted on their travel.

Methods: Data were collected by interviews as part of the Queensland Social Survey (QSS) 2009. Specific questions were incorporated regarding travel and Pandemic (H1N1) 2009. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze associations between demographic variables and concern and likelihood of cancelling travel.

Results: There were 1,292 respondents (41.5% response rate). The sample was nearly equally divided between males and females (50.2% vs 49.8%). Younger people (18–34 y) were under-represented in the sample; older people (>55y) were over-represented in the sample. About half (53.2%) of respondents indicated some level of concern about Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 when traveling and just over one-third (35.5%) indicated they would likely cancel their air travel if they had a cough and fever that lasted more than one day. When cross-tabulating these responses, people who expressed concern regarding Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 when they traveled were more likely than those without concern to cancel their air travel if they had a cough and fever lasting more than one day (44.7% vs 27.7%, χ2 = 33.53, p < 0.001). People with higher levels of education [adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 0.651], people with higher incomes (AOR: 0.528) and people living outside of metropolitan Southeast Queensland (AOR: 0.589) were less likely to be concerned about Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 when traveling, and younger people (AOR: 0.469) were less likely than others to cancel travel if they had a cough and fever.

Conclusions: Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 was of some concern to more than half of Queensland travelers. None-the-less, the majority of Queenslanders would not have postponed their own travel, even if they exhibited symptoms consistent with Pandemic (H1N1) 2009.

Item ID: 11829
Item Type: Article (Research - C1)
ISSN: 1708-8305
Keywords: influenza; travel medicine
Date Deposited: 06 Sep 2010 05:46
FoR Codes: 11 MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES > 1103 Clinical Sciences > 110309 Infectious Diseases @ 50%
11 MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES > 1117 Public Health and Health Services > 111799 Public Health and Health Services not elsewhere classified @ 50%
SEO Codes: 92 HEALTH > 9201 Clinical Health (Organs, Diseases and Abnormal Conditions) > 920109 Infectious Diseases @ 50%
92 HEALTH > 9204 Public Health (excl. Specific Population Health) > 920499 Public Health (excl. Specific Population Health) not elsewhere classified @ 50%
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