Watkins Rochelle E, Cooke Feonagh C, Donovan Robert J, MacIntyre C Raina, Itzwerth Ralf, Plant Aileen J
Australian Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Australia.
BMC Public Health. 2007 Jul 17;7:157. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-7-157.
Community-wide preparedness for pandemic influenza is an issue that has featured prominently in the recent news media, and is currently a priority for health authorities in many countries. The small and medium business sector is a major provider of private sector employment in Australia, yet we have little information about the preparedness of this sector for pandemic influenza. This study aimed to investigate the association between individual perceptions and preparedness for pandemic influenza among small and medium business owners and managers.
Semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted with 201 small and medium business owners or managers in New South Wales and Western Australia. Eligible small or medium businesses were defined as those that had less than 200 employees. Binomial logistic regression analysis was used to identify the predictors of having considered the impact of, having a plan for, and needing help to prepare for pandemic influenza.
Approximately 6 per cent of participants reported that their business had a plan for pandemic influenza, 39 per cent reported that they had not thought at all about the impact of pandemic influenza on their business, and over 60 per cent stated that they required help to prepare for a pandemic. Beliefs about the severity of pandemic influenza and the ability to respond were significant independent predictors of having a plan for pandemic influenza, and the perception of the risk of pandemic influenza was the most important predictor of both having considered the impact of, and needing help to prepare for a pandemic.
Our findings suggest that small and medium businesses in Australia are not currently well prepared for pandemic influenza. We found that beliefs about the risk, severity, and the ability to respond effectively to the threat of pandemic influenza are important predictors of preparedness. Campaigns targeting small and medium businesses should emphasise the severity of the consequences to their businesses if a pandemic were to occur, and, at the same time, reassure them that there are effective strategies capable of being implemented by small and medium businesses to deal with a pandemic.
社区层面针对大流行性流感的防范是近期新闻媒体重点关注的问题，目前也是许多国家卫生当局的优先事项。中小企业部门是澳大利亚私营部门就业的主要提供者，但我们对该部门针对大流行性流感的防范情况了解甚少。本研究旨在调查中小企业主和经理个人认知与大流行性流感防范之间的关联。
对新南威尔士州和西澳大利亚州的201名中小企业主或经理进行了半结构化面对面访谈。符合条件的中小企业定义为员工人数少于200人的企业。采用二项逻辑回归分析来确定考虑过大流行性流感影响、制定了应对计划以及需要防范帮助的预测因素。
约6%的参与者报告称其企业有大流行性流感应对计划，39%的参与者表示他们根本没有考虑过大流行性流感对其企业的影响，超过60%的参与者表示他们需要防范帮助。对大流行性流感严重性的信念以及应对能力是制定大流行性流感应对计划的重要独立预测因素，而对大流行性流感风险的认知是考虑其影响以及需要防范帮助这两方面的最重要预测因素。
我们的研究结果表明，澳大利亚的中小企业目前对大流行性流感的防范准备不足。我们发现，对大流行性流感风险、严重性以及有效应对威胁能力的信念是防范准备的重要预测因素。针对中小企业的宣传活动应强调如果发生大流行对其企业造成后果的严重性，同时向他们保证中小企业有能够实施的有效策略来应对大流行。
