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Helen Marshall, MBBS, DCH, MPH, Philip Ryan, FAFPHM, Don Roberton, MD, FRACP, FRCPA, Jackie Street, PhD and Maureen Watson, RN, SCM, BHlthSc, GDipPH

At the time of the study, Helen Marshall and Don Roberton were with the Paediatric Trials Unit, Women's and Children's Hospital, Adelaide, Australia. Helen Marshall, Philip Ryan, and Jackie Street were with the Discipline of Public Health, University of Adelaide, Adelaide. Helen Marshall and Don Roberton were with the Discipline of Paediatrics, University of Adelaide, Adelaide. Maureen Watson is with the South Australian Immunisation Co-ordination Unit, Department of Health, South Australia, Adelaide.

Correspondence: Correspondence should be sent to Dr Helen Marshall, Paediatric Trials Unit, Women's and Children's Hospital, 72 King William Rd, North Adelaide, South Australia (e-mail: helen.marshall{at}adelaide.edu.au). Reprints can be ordered at http://www.ajph.org by clicking on the "Reprints/Eprints" link.

Objectives. We aimed to examine community knowledge about and attitudes toward the threat of pandemic influenza and assess the community acceptability of strategies to reduce its effect.

Methods. We conducted computer-aided telephone interviews in 2007 with a cross-sectional sample of rural and metropolitan residents of South Australia.

Results. Of 1975 households interviewed, half (50.2%) had never heard of pandemic influenza or were unaware of its meaning. Only 10% of respondents were extremely concerned about the threat of pandemic influenza. Respondents identified children as the highest priority for vaccination, if supplies were limited; they ranked politicians and teachers as the lowest priority. Although only 61.7% of respondents agreed with a policy of home isolation, 98.2% agreed if it was part of a national strategy. Respondents considered television to be the best means of educating the community.

Conclusions. Community knowledge about pandemic influenza is poor despite widespread concern. Public education about pandemic influenza is essential if strategies to reduce the impact of the disease are to be effective.