Knowledge and preventive measures practiced by junior high school students from Mexico City regarding influenza A (H1N1)

Verónica Cruz-Licea, Fernando González-Domínguez, Laura Vargas-Parada, Mónica Hernández-Riquelme, Ana Flisser

Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México City, México.
Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México City, México.
Departamento de Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México City, México.
Dirección de Ense?anza, Hospital General “Dr. Manuel Gea González” Secretaría de Salud, México City, México.
Dirección General de Innovación y Fortalecimiento Académico, Administración Federal de Servicios Educativos en el Distrito Federal, Secretaría de Educación Pública, México City, México.

DOI: 10.4236/health.2012.430152                

Abstract

Background: Influenza A (H1N1) is the most recent pandemic disease that has affected the human population. Objective: To evaluate knowledge and preventive measures related with this disease one year after the epidemic of Mexico- that took place in 2009. Material and methods: An epidemiologic survey regarding influenza A (H1N1) was conducted in June 2010 among 2541 students from the second grade of all public high schools in a borough in Mexico City. The questionnaire included items on the knowledge of the disease and practice of preventive measures. Results: Most students obtained the information from television, half of them from parents and only one fifth from teachers; 72% of the participants had a favorable knowledge about the disease and the measures to avoid being infected. However, only 37% practiced such preventive measures. Conclusion: Knowledge has a positive influence on practices towards health. Parents and teachers have an important role in health education, thus efforts should be directed to involve them more intensely in health education.

Keywords

Alcohol Gel; Epidemiologic Survey; Hand Washing; Health Behavior; Influenza A (H1N1) Outbreak; Mexico City

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	Cordova-Villalobos, J.A., Valdespno-Gomez, J.L. Poncede-Leon, S. (2010) La epidemia de influenza A/H1N1 en México. Editorial MedicaPanamericana, 366.
[2]	López-Cervantes, M., Venado, A., Moreno, A., PachecoDominguez, R.L. and Ortega-Pierres, G. (2009) On the spread of the novel influenza A (H1N1) virus in Mexico. Journal of Infection in Developing Countries, 3, 327-330. doi:10.3855/jidc.238
[3]	Córdova, J.A., Sarti, E., Arzoz, J., Manuell, G., Romero, J. and Kuri, P. (2009) The influenza A(H1N1) epidemic in Mexico. Lessons learned. Health Research Policy and Systems, 7, 21. doi:10.1186/1478-4505-7-21
[4]	World Health Organization (2009) Human infection with new influenza A (H1N1) virus: Mexico. Weekly Epidemiological Record, 84, 213-219.
[5]	Secretaria de Salud del Gobierno de México. Influenza. February 17, 2011. http://portal.salud.gob.mx/contenidos/noticias/influenza/influenza_prin.html
[6]	Narain, J.P., Kumar, R. and Bhatia, R. (2009) Pandemic (H1N1) 2009: Epidemiological, clinical and prevention aspects. National Medical Journal of India, 22, e1-e6.
[7]	Balkhy, H.H., Abolfotouh, M.A., Al-Hathlool, R.H. and Al-Jumah, M.A. (2010) Awareness, attitudes, and practices related to the swine influenza pandemic among the Saudi public. BMC Infectious Diseases, 28, 42.
[8]	Kamate, S., Agrawal, A., Chaudhary, H., Singh, K., Mishra, P. and Asawa, K. (2010) Public knowledge, attitude and behavioural changes in an Indian population during the influenza A (H1N1) outbreak. Journal of Infection in Developing Countries, 4, 7-14.
[9]	Rubin, G.J., Aml?t, R., Page, L. and Wessely, S. (2009) Public perceptions, anxiety, and behaviour change in relation to the swine flu outbreak: Cross sectional telephone survey. BMJ Journal, 2, 2651.
[10]	La Torre, G, Di Thiene, D., Cadeddu, C., Ricciardi, W. and Boccia, A. (2009) Behaviours regarding preventive measures against pandemic H1N1 influenza among Italian healthcare workers, October 2009. Eurosurveillance, 14, 19432
[11]	Secretaria, de Salud. Ley General de Salud 227, artículos 226, fracción IV, ultimo párrafo: Acuerdo por el que se determinan los lineamientos a los que estará sujeta la venta y dispensación de antibióticos. México, 2010.
[12]	Flisser, A., Velasco-Villa, A., Martínez-Campos, C., González-Domínguez, F., Brise?o, B., Caballero, A., MonroyI, G.H., Gutiérrez, L., Rodríguez, A., López-Martínez, I., Virgen, S., Vázquez, R., Balandrano, S., Guzmán-Bracho, C., Díaz, A., De la Rosa, J., Magos, C., Escobar-Gutiérrez, A. and Correa, D. (2002) Infectious diseases in Mexico. A survey from 1995-2000. Archives of Medical Research, 33, 343-350. doi:10.1016/S0188-4409(02)00381-8
[13]	Lau, J., Griffiths, S., Choi, K. and Lin, C. (2010) Prevalence of preventive behaviors and associated factors during early phase of the H1N1 influenza epidemic. American Journal of Infection Control, 38, 374-380. doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2010.03.002
[14]	Seale, H., McLaws, M.L., Heywood, A., Ward, K., Van Lowbridge, K.D., Gralton, J. and MacIntyre, R. (2009) The community’s attitude towards swine flu and pandemic influenza. Medical Journal of Australia, 191, 267-269.
[15]	Park, J., Cheong, H., Son, D., Kim, S. and Ha, C. (2010) Perceptions and behaviors related to hand hygiene for the prevention of H1N1 influenza transmission among Korean university students during the peak pandemic period. BMC Infectious Diseases, 10, 222. doi:10.1186/1471-2334-10-222
[16]	Grayson, L.M., Melvani, S., Druce, J., Barr, I.G., Ballard, S., Johnson, P., Mastorakos, T. and Birch, C. (2009) Efficacy of Soap and Water and Alcohol-Based Hand-Rub Preparations against Live H1N1 Influenza Virus on the Hands of Human Volunteers. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 48, 285-291. doi:10.1086/595845