Knowledge,attitude and anxiety towards pandemic flu a potential bio weapon among health professionals in Indore City.

BACKGROUND

Flu is one of the oldest medical concerns, causing high mortality rates among humans. Swine flu has not only emerged as a fatal disease omong Indian population but has also created havoc among various sections of society.

OBJECTIVE

To determine Knowledge, Attitude and Anxiety towards pandemic flu a potential bioweapon among health care professionals in Indore City.

METHOD: The study design used was a cross sectional descriptive study was carried out between February-March 2015 during the outbreak of Swine Flu. The survey was administered to a sample of 271 health professionals. Participants comprised of 148 medical professionals and 123 dental professionals practicing in Sri Aurobindo Institute of Medical Science. The data collection tools comprised of a questionnaire on demographic characteristics, knowledge and attitude. Beck Anxiety Inventory was used to assess the anxiety among professionals.

RESULTS

The medical professionals (95.9%) had significantly higher (p value=0.007) knowledge about available vaccines against Swine Flu. The dental professionals (33.3%) were more hesistant in treating patients suffering from Swine Flu compared to medical.

CONCLUSION

The results of the present study suggest that the health care professionals had good knowledge, showed positive attitude, and demonstrated lower anxiety levels.