In a national poll aimed at helping with planning efforts for a public health response to a possible bioterrorism attack, researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) have found that, in response to a fictional scenario describing a significant anthrax attack in their city or town, most Americans (89 percent) will likely follow public health recommendations to obtain prophylactic antibiotics. However, a significant minority of those likely to pick up antibiotics (39 percent) will hold on to them rather than take them right away, which public health experts believe may put them at greater risk of serious illness.
Further, 21 percent of Americans are “not at all familiar” with the term ‘inhalation anthrax,’ and an additional 25 percent hold the mistaken belief that inhalation anthrax is contagious – two factors that could compromise their following emergency instructions meant to protect them against this biological agent. Anthrax has been identified by government planners as a likely agent should there be a future bioterrorist attack, and “inhalation anthrax” is a potentially lethal illness that can be contracted when spores containing anthrax are inhaled. Public health experts believe antibiotics that are started quickly – possibly even before a person is certain they have been exposed to anthrax spores or before symptoms of the illness appear – may have the greatest likelihood of successful treatment.
The poll was conducted Dec. 9-28, 2009 among a national sample, as well as people living in areas that actually experienced anthrax attacks in 2001: Washington, D.C., Trenton/Mercer County, N.J. and New York City. The poll was conducted as part of an ongoing series by the Harvard Opinion Research Program at HSPH. The polls are aimed at helping federal, state and local governments better understand the general public’s needs and beliefs in the event of a traumatic public health emergency, including biological threats and natural disasters, and to formulate plans for the best delivery of countermeasures. The Harvard researchers have no knowledge of an impending biological attack using anthrax in the United States.
“Publicizing key information – such as where to get antibiotics and that inhalation anthrax is not contagious – would be vital to helping people protect themselves effectively in the case of a significant attack,” said Professor Robert Blendon, director of the Harvard Opinion Research Program and an expert in understanding the public response to emergencies that involve health threats. “As these results show, clear communication with the public, in the context of what could be a frightening and catastrophic event, should be a critical priority.”
The poll examined the public’s reaction to a possible, significant anthrax attack in their city or town and their likelihood of responding effectively to public health recommendations to go to local antibiotic dispensing sites and take prophylactic antibiotics.
Given this fictional scenario, more than 80 percent of adults said they would be worried about becoming seriously ill or dying, including about half (46 percent) of adults who said they would be “very worried” and 36 percent who said they would be “somewhat worried.” In addition, if they heard about this attack on the news, most adults (64 percent) would expect the event to be part of a series of attacks, and only 27 percent said they would expect it to be an isolated incident.