Press Releases

20 March 2003

Survey Results on Public Responses to Atypical Pneumonia in Hong Kong

Background

1. Professor Catherine So-kum Tang and Miss Joanne Chi-yan Wong of the Department of Psychology at the Chinese University of Hong Kong have conducted a study on "Public Responses to Atypical Pneumonia (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) in Hong Kong" in March, 2003. This survey aimed to explore public understanding and psychological reactions to atypical pneumonia as well as to investigate public adoption of preventive health measures against this disease. Survey results will facilitate preventive education, policies, and psychological intervention to reduce public psychological distress in response to atypical pneumonia.

Method

2. A total of 1,002 (451 men and 551 women) Chinese residents in Hong Kong and aged 17 or above were telephoned surveyed on March 17 and 18 by the Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. The response rate was 52.8%. Respondents were mostly around 30 to 49 years old, had high school educational attainment, and earned about HK$20,000 per month.

3. The telephone survey included information on respondents' psychological reactions to and adoption of preventive health measures against atypical pneumonia, as well as their views on relevant departments' management of the outbreak of this disease.

Psychological Reactions to Atypical Pneumonia

4. Table 2 summarizes respondents' various psychological reactions to atypical pneumonia. Nearly 80% of them worried the spread of this disease to the community and another 40% also felt scared and helpless about its spread. Almost half of the respondents were concerned about contracting this disease, and another 20% indicated that they would delay seeking help at clinics/hospitals even when they were sick to avoid being infected with this disease.

5. Results also showed that as compared to men, more women felt scared and helpless when knowing health care professionals being infected with atypical pneumonia, worried that the disease would spread to the community, and feared that they would also contract the disease themselves.

6. Compared to other age groups, respondents aged 30-59 felt the most helpless after knowing health care professionals being infected with atypical pneumonia, had the most concerns about contracting the disease themselves, and were the most scared about its spread to the community.

7. Respondents with low as compared to high educational attainment were more likely to acknowledge having insufficient information about atypical pneumonia, feeling scared and helpless after hearing about the outbreak of the disease, and being fearful of its spread to the community.

Views and Adoption of Preventive Health Measures

8. About 65% of the respondents agreed that the suggested preventive health measures were effective in preventing atypical pneumonia. However, only 30% of the respondents reported the adoption of these measures. Table 2 presents detail information on respondents' views and adoption of various preventive health measures against atypical pneumonia.

9. Results also indicated that men and women did not differ in their views and adoption of various atypical pneumonia preventive measures. However, those who were younger and had lower educational attainment were relatively less likely to adopt the suggested preventive health measures.

Views on Management of the Outbreak of Atypical Pneumonia

10. About 60% of the respondents felt confident that related health departments were effective in managing the outbreak of atypical pneumonia, and another 50% were also satisfied with the actual management of the disease by these departments. However, only 35% of the respondents agreed that these departments had disseminated clear and adequate information and health guidelines on atypical pneumonia.

11. Women as compared to men and middle-aged as compared to other age groups of respondents were less satisfied with related departments' management of the disease. Younger and highly educated respondents were also less likely to agree that these departments had disseminated clear and adequate information and health guideline on the disease.

Conclusions and Recommendations

12. To integrate the results, this survey indicated that respondents' adoption of the suggested preventive health measures against atypical pneumonia were related to their self-efficacy in performing these health measures, concerns about the spread of the disease to the community as well as adequate knowledge about the disease. Moreover, respondents' self-efficacy in performing these preventive health measures were linked to relevant departments' dissemination of clear and adequate information and health guidelines about the disease, which in turn greatly influenced respondents' confidence and satisfaction toward these departments' management of the outbreak of the disease.

Based on the results, the following recommendations were made:

13. Relevant health departments should continue to strengthen the dissemination of information about atypical pneumonia so that the public can keep track of the progress of the situation, effectively carry out the suggested preventive health measures, and reduce negative psychological reactions to the outbreak of this disease.

14. Vigorous pubic health education programs should be launched to enhance the public's understanding and adoption of preventive health measures against atypical pneumonia.

15. Supportive and counseling services should be provided to the public and health care professionals to reduce stress and negative psychological reactions to atypical pneumonia. Simple and effective coping strategies to alleviate negative emotions associated with the disease outbreak include: (1) stress management to reduce psychological discomfort, (2) accepting that emotional stress in reaction to the occurrence of sudden critical events is normal and allowing the expression of these negative emotions, and (3) sharing these emotions with people having similar experiences or other caring individuals to facilitate mutual support and active management of the situation.

Table 1 Psychological Reactions to Atypical Pneumonia

	Men (N = 451)	Women (N = 551)	Total (N = 1,002)
Having adequate information about atypical pneumonia	% 29.9	% 29.8	% 29.8
Feeling scared after knowing health care professionals contracted atypical pneumonia*	22.6	35.8	29.8
Feeling helpless after knowing health care professionals contracted atypical pneumonia*	42.8	49.5	46.5
Worrying atypical pneumonia being spread to the community*	67.6	82.3	75.7
Feeling scared about the spread of atypical pneumonia*	32.6	42.6	38.1
Feeling helpless about the spread of atypical pneumonia	41.5	45.0	43.4
Worrying self contracting atypical pneumonia*	43.1	61.7	53.4
Even being sick, delaying seeking help at clinics/hospitals because of the fear of	23.5	24.9	24.2
contracting atypical pneumonia

Note: *Gender differences

Table 2 Views and Adoption of Related Preventive Health Measures

	Men (N = 451)	Women (N = 551)	Total (N = 1,002)
Adopting measures to prevent atypical pneumonia, e.g., washing hands and cleaning noses after sneezing, wearing masks, and ensuring good ventilation	% 30.2	% 34.5	% 32.5
Family members adopting the above measures to prevent atypical pneumonia	29.3	25.6	27.2
Agreeing the above measures being effective in preventing atypical pneumonia	67.2	63.7	65.3
Agreeing to have vaccination against atypical pneumonia if such vaccines are available	82.1	82.4	82.3
Agreeing isolation of those infected with atypical pneumonia	84.8	91.0	88.2
	(N = 118)	(N = 173)	(N = 291)
Seeking help when self and family members having symptoms of sneezing, fever, rapid breathing	47.5	59.5	54.6

Note: No gender difference

Table 3 Views on Management of the Outbreak of Atypical Pneumonia

	Men (N = 451)	Women (N = 551)	Total (N = 1,002)
Agreeing related health departments (DH, HA) disseminating clear information and health guidelines on atypical pneumonia	% 37.0	% 33.2	% 34.9
Agreeing related health departments (DH, HA) disseminating adequate information and health guidelines on atypical pneumonia*	37.0	27.8	31.9
Feeling satisfied with related health departments’ management of atypical pneumonia	53.0	48.1	50.3
Feeling confident that related health departments being able to effectively manage atypical pneumonia, including prevention, control, and intervention of the disease*	63.2	57.5	60.1

Note: DH = Department of Health, HA = Hospital Authority, * Gender difference