SARS, messages and Finns: A View From A Non-Affected Country

摘要

Objective: To describe lay perceptions of SARS among Finns. Material and methods: The data from a population-based household panel (n=308) was collected in 2003 using an open-ended question asking what respondents had heard about SARS. Qualitative, inductive content analysis was carried out. Results: Of the 308 survey respondents 299 responded to the open ended question and mentioned altogether 392 issues involving various aspects of SARS. Sixty seven percent (n=235) of the mentions concerned medical and bio-epidemiological aspects of SARS and 132 involved social, regional, and cultural aspects SARS. Both categories included mentions differentiating SARS as a disease and SARS as an outbreak. While SARS was seen as geographically and culturally remote, participants also mentioned individual SARS victims including a Finnish victim. Most of the mentions were factually correct. Conclusion: Public perceptions contribute to the necessary two-way-risk communication strategies in the control of infectious diseases, and help to correct wrong information.