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We report the results of a national survey conducted to help public health officials understand the public's response to community mitigation interventions for a severe outbreak of pandemic influenza. Survey [...]

Many Americans have misconceptions about smallpox and the smallpox vaccine, according to a survey of 1,006 people. Most believed there was an effective treatment for smallpox and that there was not enough vaccine to vaccinate every American. They also thought they would be protected if they had been vaccinated early in life.

Many Americans and their doctors believe that medical errors are not the most important issue facing the health care system, according to a survey of 831 doctors and 1,207 members of the public. This was true despite the fact that 35% of doctors and 42% of the public reported errors in their own or a family member's care. However, they disagreed on the causes of medical errors and effective strategies to prevent them.

To the Editor: Blendon et al. (1) described a survey of public attitudes regarding Americans' willingness and ability to follow the advice of public health officials during a severe influenza [...]

Results from a national survey indicated that most persons would follow public health officials’ guidelines. We report the results of a national survey conducted to help public health officials understand the public’s response to community mitigation interventions for a severe outbreak of pandemic influenza. Survey results suggest that if community mitigation measures are instituted, most respondents would comply with recommendations but would be challenged to do so if their income or job were severely compromised. The results also indicate that community mitigation measures could cause problems for persons with lower incomes and for racial and ethnic minorities. Twenty-four percent of respondents said that they would not have anyone available to take care of them if they became sick with pandemic influenza. Given these results, planning and public engagement will be needed to encourage the public to be prepared.

Context: Incidents involving anthrax (Bacillus anthracis) through the mail in 4 metropolitan areas have raised concerns about the public's response nationally and locally., Objective: To examine public response to these incidents and what it reveals about the demand placed on health professionals and public health officials nationally, in affected areas, and by affected people., Design: Random-digit-dialed telephone surveys of samples of households nationally and in 3 specific metropolitan areas where cases of anthrax were reported: the District of Columbia; Trenton/Princeton, New Jersey; and Boca Raton, Florida., Outcome Measure: Respondents were asked a series of questions measuring their level of concern and their behavior in response to threats of anthrax and potential bioterrorist acts., Results: The lives of a large share of people were affected in 3 metropolitan areas where anthrax incidents occurred. Residents of those 3 areas and people there who were affected by the incidents expressed a higher level of concern and took more precautions handling their mail. However, these incidents did not lead to great demands on the health system., Conclusions: The incidents of anthrax created anxieties, especially in areas where incidents occurred. There was some increased demand on the health system, but the demands were not large-scale. In the event of a major outbreak of disease, most Americans will rely heavily on their own physician for advice. Both national and local systems of population-based information gathering about the public's response to bioterrorist attacks are needed.