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Date:         Thu, 28 May 2009 11:41:58 -0400
From:         "BROWN, STEVEN" 
Subject: Q Bibliography: Prateepko & Chongsuvivatwong on influenza pandemic research in Thailand
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Research article
Patterns of perception toward influenza pandemic among the front-line respo=
nsible health personnel in southern Thailand: a Q methodology approach
Tapanan Prateepko  and Virasakdi Chongsuvivatwong

BMC Public Health 2009, 9:161doi:10.1186/1471-2458-9-161
Published:    28 May 2009

Abstract (provisional)

Background
Thailand has joined the World Health Organization effort to prepare against=
 a threat of an influenza pandemic. Regular monitoring on preparedness of h=
ealth facilities and assessment on perception of the front-line responsible=
 health personnel has never been done. This study aimed to document the pat=
terns of perception of health personnel toward the threat of an influenza p=
andemic.

Methods
Q methodology was applied to a set of 385 health personnel in charge of inf=
luenza pandemic preparedness in the three southernmost provinces of Thailan=
d. Subjects were asked to rank 33 statements about various issues of influe=
nza pandemic according to a pre-designed score sheet having a quasi-normal =
distribution on a continuous 9-point bipolar scale ranging from -4 for stro=
ngly disagree to +4 for strongly agree. The Q factor analysis method was em=
ployed to identify patterns based on the similarity and dissimilarity among=
 health personnel.

Results
There were three main patterns of perception toward influenza pandemic with=
 moderate correlation coefficients between patterns ranging from 0.37 to 0.=
55. Pattern I, health personnel, which we labeled pessimistic, perceived th=
emselves as having a low self-efficacy. Pattern II, which we labeled optimi=
stic, perceived the threat to be low severity and low vulnerability. Patter=
n III, which we labeled mixed, perceived low self-efficacy but low vulnerab=
ility. Across the three patterns, almost all the subjects had a high expect=
ancy that execution of recommended measures can mitigate impacts of the thr=
eat of an influenza pandemic, particularly on multi-measures with high fact=
or scores of 4 in all patterns. The most conflicting area was vulnerability=
 on the possible impacts of an influenza pandemic, having factor scores of =
high (3), low (-4), and neutral (0) for patterns I, II, and III, respective=
ly.

Conclusions
Strong consistent perceptions of response efficacy against an influenza pan=
demic may suggest a low priority to convince health personnel on the effica=
cy of the recommended measures. Lack of self-efficacy in certain sub-groups=
 indicates the need for program managers to improve self-confidence of heal=
th personnel to participate in an emergency response.


The article accompanying this abstract is in press with BMC [BioMed Central=
] Public Health.  Details can be found at http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471=
-2458/9/161/abstract.


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Research article

Patterns of perception toward influenz=
a pandemic among the front-line responsible health personnel in southern Th=
ailand: a Q methodology approach

Tapanan Prateepko  =
;and Virasakdi Chongsuvivatwong 



BMC Pu=
blic Health 2009, 9:161doi:10.1186/1471-2458-9-161

Published:    28 May 2009

<=
BR>
Abstract (provisional)<=
BR>


Background

Thailand has joined the World Hea=
lth Organization effort to prepare against a threat of an influenza pandemi=
c. Regular monitoring on preparedness of health facilities and assessment o=
n perception of the front-line responsible health personnel has never been =
done. This study aimed to document the patterns of perception of health per=
sonnel toward the threat of an influenza pandemic.



Methods

Q methodology was applied to a set of 385 health personnel in charge of=
 influenza pandemic preparedness in the three southernmost provinces of Tha=
iland. Subjects were asked to rank 33 statements about various issues of in=
fluenza pandemic according to a pre-designed score sheet having a quasi-nor=
mal distribution on a continuous 9-point bipolar scale ranging from -4 for =
strongly disagree to +4 for strongly agree. The Q factor analysis method wa=
s employed to identify patterns based on the similarity and dissimilarity a=
mong health personnel.



Results

There were three main patterns of perception toward influenza pandemic =
with moderate correlation coefficients between patterns ranging from 0.37 t=
o 0.55. Pattern I, health personnel, which we labeled pessimistic, perceive=
d themselves as having a low self-efficacy. Pattern II, which we labeled op=
timistic, perceived the threat to be low severity and low vulnerability. Pa=
ttern III, which we labeled mixed, perceived low self-efficacy but low vuln=
erability. Across the three patterns, almost all the subjects had a high ex=
pectancy that execution of recommended measures can mitigate impacts of the=
 threat of an influenza pandemic, particularly on multi-measures with high =
factor scores of 4 in all patterns. The most conflicting area was vulnerabi=
lity on the possible impacts of an influenza pandemic, having factor scores=
 of high (3), low (-4), and neutral (0) for patterns I, II, and III, respec=
tively.



Conclusions

Strong consistent perceptions of response efficacy against an influenza=
 pandemic may suggest a low priority to convince health personnel on the ef=
ficacy of the recommended measures. Lack of self-efficacy in certain sub-gr=
oups indicates the need for program managers to improve self-confidence of =
health personnel to participate in an emergency response.





The article accompanying this abstract is in press with BMC [BioMed =
Central] Public Health.  Details can be found at http://www.biomedcentra=
l.com/1471-2458/9/161/abstract.








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