Bird harvesting practices and knowledge, risk perceptions, and attitudes regarding avian influenza among Canadian First Nations subsistence hunters: implications for influenza pandemic plans

Background There is concern of avian influenza virus (AIV) infections in humans. Subsistence hunters may be a potential risk group for AIV infections as they frequently come into close contact with wild birds and the aquatic habitats of birds while harvesting. This study aimed to examine if knowledge and risk perception of avian influenza influenced the use of protective measures and attitudes about hunting influenza-infected birds among subsistence hunters. Methods Using a community-based participatory research approach, a cross-sectional survey was conducted with current subsistence hunters (n = 106) residing in a remote and isolated First Nations community in northern Ontario, Canada from November 10–25, 2013. Simple descriptive statistics, cross-tabulations, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to examine the distributions and relationships between variables. Written responses were deductively analyzed. Results ANOVA showed that males hunted significantly more birds per year than did females (F1,96 = 12.1; p = 0.001) and that those who hunted significantly more days per year did not perceive a risk of AIV infection (F1,94 = 4.4; p = 0.040). Hunters engaged in bird harvesting practices that could expose them to AIVs, namely by cleaning, plucking, and gutting birds and having direct contact with water. It was reported that 18 (17.0%) hunters wore gloves and 2 (1.9%) hunters wore goggles while processing birds. The majority of hunters washed their hands (n = 105; 99.1%) and sanitized their equipment (n = 69; 65.1%) after processing birds. More than half of the participants reported being aware of avian influenza, while almost one third perceived a risk of AIV infection while harvesting birds. Participants aware of avian influenza were more likely to perceive a risk of AIV infection while harvesting birds. Our results suggest that knowledge positively influenced the use of a recommended protective measure. Regarding attitudes, the frequency of participants who would cease harvesting birds was highest if avian influenza was detected in regional birds (n = 55; 51.9%). Conclusions Our study indicated a need for more education about avian influenza and precautionary behaviours that are culturally-appropriate. First Nations subsistence hunters should be considered an avian influenza risk group and have associated special considerations included in future influenza pandemic plans.

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Bird harvesting practices and knowledge, risk perceptions, and attitudes regarding avian influenza among Canadian First Nations subsistence hunters: implications for influenza pandemic plans

10.32920/14637552.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Nadia A. Charania ◽

Ian D. Martin ◽

Eric N. Liberda ◽

Richard Meldrum ◽

Leonard J. S. Tsuji

Keyword(s):

Avian Influenza ◽

First Nations ◽

Risk Perceptions ◽

Risk Group ◽

Close Contact ◽

Influenza Pandemic ◽

Protective Measure ◽

Research Approach ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional

Background There is concern of avian influenza virus (AIV) infections in humans. Subsistence hunters may be a potential risk group for AIV infections as they frequently come into close contact with wild birds and the aquatic habitats of birds while harvesting. This study aimed to examine if knowledge and risk perception of avian influenza influenced the use of protective measures and attitudes about hunting influenza-infected birds among subsistence hunters. Methods Using a community-based participatory research approach, a cross-sectional survey was conducted with current subsistence hunters (n = 106) residing in a remote and isolated First Nations community in northern Ontario, Canada from November 10–25, 2013. Simple descriptive statistics, cross-tabulations, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to examine the distributions and relationships between variables. Written responses were deductively analyzed. Results ANOVA showed that males hunted significantly more birds per year than did females (F1,96 = 12.1; p = 0.001) and that those who hunted significantly more days per year did not perceive a risk of AIV infection (F1,94 = 4.4; p = 0.040). Hunters engaged in bird harvesting practices that could expose them to AIVs, namely by cleaning, plucking, and gutting birds and having direct contact with water. It was reported that 18 (17.0%) hunters wore gloves and 2 (1.9%) hunters wore goggles while processing birds. The majority of hunters washed their hands (n = 105; 99.1%) and sanitized their equipment (n = 69; 65.1%) after processing birds. More than half of the participants reported being aware of avian influenza, while almost one third perceived a risk of AIV infection while harvesting birds. Participants aware of avian influenza were more likely to perceive a risk of AIV infection while harvesting birds. Our results suggest that knowledge positively influenced the use of a recommended protective measure. Regarding attitudes, the frequency of participants who would cease harvesting birds was highest if avian influenza was detected in regional birds (n = 55; 51.9%). Conclusions Our study indicated a need for more education about avian influenza and precautionary behaviours that are culturally-appropriate. First Nations subsistence hunters should be considered an avian influenza risk group and have associated special considerations included in future influenza pandemic plans.

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Attitudes to Living and Working in Pandemic Conditions among Emergency Prehospital Medical Care Personnel

Prehospital and Disaster Medicine ◽

10.1017/s1049023x00007597 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 25 (1) ◽

pp. 13-19 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Kerrianne Watt ◽

Vivienne C. Tippett ◽

Steven G. Raven ◽

Konrad Jamrozik ◽

Michael Coory ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Logistic Regression ◽

Avian Influenza ◽

Medical Care ◽

Risk Perceptions ◽

Influenza Pandemic ◽

Care Staff ◽

Care Providers ◽

Apparent Lack ◽

Infection Transmission ◽

Prehospital Medical Care

AbstractIntroduction:Little is known about the risk perceptions and attitudes of healthcare personnel, especially of emergency prehospital medical care personnel, regarding the possibility of an outbreak or epidemic event.Problem:This study was designed to investigate pre-event knowledge and attitudes of a national sample of the emergency prehospital medical care providers in relation to a potential human influenza pandemic, and to determine predictors of these attitudes.Methods:Surveys were distributed to a random, cross-sectional sample of 20% of the Australian emergency prehospital medical care workforce (n = 2,929), stratified by the nine services operating in Australia, as well as by gender and location. The surveys included: (1) demographic information; (2) knowledge of influenza; and (3) attitudes and perceptions related to working during influenza pandemic conditions. Multiple logistic regression models were constructed to identify predictors of pandemic-related risk perceptions.Results:Among the 725 Australian emergency prehospital medical care personnel who responded, 89% were very anxious about working during pandemic conditions, and 85% perceived a high personal risk associated with working in such conditions. In general, respondents demonstrated poor knowledge in relation to avian influenza, influenza generally, and infection transmission methods. Less than 5% of respondents perceived that they had adequate education/training about avian influenza. Logistic regression analyses indicate that, in managing the attitudes and risk perceptions of emergency prehospital medical care staff, particular attention should be directed toward the paid, male workforce (as opposed to volunteers), and on personnel whose relationship partners do not work in the health industry.Conclusions:These results highlight the potentially crucial role of education and training in pandemic preparedness. Organizations that provide emergency prehospital medical care must address this apparent lack of knowledge regarding infection transmission, and procedures for protection and decontamination. Careful management of the perceptions of emergency prehospital medical care personnel during a pandemic is likely to be critical in achieving an effective response to a widespread outbreak of infectious disease.

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Scientific Certainty in a Time of Uncertainty: Predicting Vulnerability of Canada's First Nations to Pandemic H1N1/09

International Indigenous Policy Journal ◽

10.18584/iipj.2010.1.1.1 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Nicholas Spence ◽

Jerry P. White

Keyword(s):

World Health Organization ◽

First Nations ◽

Influenza Pandemic ◽

Scientific Evidence ◽

Indigenous Populations ◽

World Health ◽

Director General ◽

Pandemic H1n1 ◽

The World ◽

Health Organization

On June 11, 2009, the Director General of the World Health Organization, Dr. Margaret Chan, announced that the scientific evidence indicated that the criteria for an influenza pandemic had been met: pandemic H1N1/09 virus, the first in nearly 40 years, was officially upon us. The World Health Organization has estimated that as many as 2 billion or between 15 and 45 percent of the population globally will be infected by the H1N1/09 virus. Scientists and governments have been careful to walk a line between causing mass public fear and ensuring people take the risks seriously. The latest information indicates that the majority of individuals infected with the H1N1/09 virus thus far have suffered mild illness, although very severe and fatal illness have been observed in a small number of cases, even in young and healthy people (World Health Organization 2009c). There is no evidence to date that the virus has mutated to a more virulent or lethal form; however, as we enter the second wave of the pandemic, a significant number of people in countries across the world are susceptible to infection. Most importantly, certain subgroups have been categorized as high risk given the clinical evidence to date. One of these subgroups is Indigenous populations (World Health Organization 2009c).

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Risk Perceptions and Attitudes Towards Personalized Nutrition Technologies

Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics ◽

10.1016/j.jand.2018.06.248 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 118 (9) ◽

pp. A19

Author(s):

M. Abrahams ◽

B. Stewart-Knox ◽

E. Bryant

Keyword(s):

Risk Perceptions ◽

Personalized Nutrition ◽

Perceptions And Attitudes

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The Threat of an Avian Influenza Pandemic

New England Journal of Medicine ◽

10.1056/nejm200503103521029 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 352 (10) ◽

pp. 1056-1056

Keyword(s):

Avian Influenza ◽

Influenza Pandemic

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Risk perceptions and attitudes toward national energy choices and climate change in Japan and European countries

Climate Change Governance in Asia ◽

10.4324/9780429276453-9 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 132-145

Author(s):

Midori Aoyagi

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Risk Perceptions ◽

European Countries ◽

Perceptions And Attitudes

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Avian Influenza Human Infections at the Human-Animal Interface

The Journal of Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1093/infdis/jiaa105 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 222 (4) ◽

pp. 528-537 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Damien A M Philippon ◽

Peng Wu ◽

Benjamin J Cowling ◽

Eric H Y Lau

Keyword(s):

Avian Influenza ◽

Influenza A ◽

Control Strategies ◽

Influenza Pandemic ◽

World Health ◽

Emerging Pathogens ◽

Influenza A Viruses ◽

Dead Bird ◽

Risk Of Death ◽

Human Infections

Abstract Background Avian influenza A viruses (AIVs) are among the most concerning emerging and re-emerging pathogens because of the potential risk for causing an influenza pandemic with catastrophic impact. The recent increase in domestic animals and poultry worldwide was followed by an increase of human AIV outbreaks reported. Methods We reviewed the epidemiology of human infections with AIV from the literature including reports from the World Health Organization, extracting information on virus subtype, time, location, age, sex, outcome, and exposure. Results We described the characteristics of more than 2500 laboratory-confirmed human infections with AIVs. Human infections with H5N1 and H7N9 were more frequently reported than other subtypes. Risk of death was highest among reported cases infected with H5N1, H5N6, H7N9, and H10N8 infections. Older people and males tended to have a lower risk of infection with most AIV subtypes, except for H7N9. Visiting live poultry markets was mostly reported by H7N9, H5N6, and H10N8 cases, while exposure to sick or dead bird was mostly reported by H5N1, H7N2, H7N3, H7N4, H7N7, and H10N7 cases. Conclusions Understanding the profile of human cases of different AIV subtypes would guide control strategies. Continued monitoring of human infections with AIVs is essential for pandemic preparedness.

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Avian influenza. Why the concern?

Microbiology Australia ◽

10.1071/ma16055 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 37 (4) ◽

pp. 162

Author(s):

Ian G Barr ◽

Frank YK Wong

Keyword(s):

Avian Influenza ◽

Influenza Pandemic ◽

Wild Birds ◽

Domestic Poultry ◽

Highly Virulent

Avian influenza normally has little impact on poultry and wild birds but since 1996, highly virulent viruses have emerged and continue to circulate in many countries. The results of these viruses have been devastating in domestic poultry and they have also spilled over into humans, infecting and killing hundreds and raising the opportunities for the virus to further adapt and possibly cause a future influenza pandemic. This article briefly details these events and discusses the consequences of these viruses continuing to circulate and cause disease.

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