BACKGROUND: Anthrax bioterrorism is a new threat to Australians. How they would respond to an anthrax bioterrorism event is unknown. METHOD: A national telephone survey of Australian adults. RESULTS: We successfully interviewed 1001 Australian adults (response rate 63%). The threat of anthrax bioterrorism was of medium to high concern to 57% of survey participants. In the event of an anthrax bioterrorism event, the first point of care would be GPs for 60% of survey participants, and 71% were confident in their doctor's ability to recognise anthrax. Most would accept vaccination if anthrax bioterrorism cases were reported locally, or even elsewhere in Australia. DISCUSSION: Australian GPs should be included in any bioterrorism planning to respond to such threats.
BACKGROUND:Anthrax bioterrorism is a new threat to Australians. How they would respond to an anthrax bioterrorism event is unknown. METHOD: A national telephone survey of Australian adults. RESULTS: We successfully interviewed 1001 Australian adults (response rate 63%). The threat of anthrax bioterrorism was of medium to high concern to 57% of survey participants. In the event of an anthrax bioterrorism event, the first point of care would be GPs for 60% of survey participants, and 71% were confident in their doctor's ability to recognise anthrax. Most would accept vaccination if anthrax bioterrorism cases were reported locally, or even elsewhere in Australia. DISCUSSION: Australian GPs should be included in any bioterrorism planning to respond to such threats.
Authors: Keith Eastwood; David Durrheim; J Lynn Francis; Edouard Tursan d'Espaignet; Sarah Duncan; Fakhrul Islam; Rick Speare Journal: Bull World Health Organ Date: 2009-08 Impact factor: 9.408