Table 5.
Information needs about the pandemic and their association with agreeing that too much fuss is being made. Adjusted odds ratios were adjusted for age, sex, ethnicity, social grade, general health status and presence of a chronic illness.
| Information need | Levels | Number (%) of participants | Odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for association with believing that too much fuss had been made | Adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for association with believing that too much fuss had been made |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Details on symptoms | Requested | 594 (11.0%) | 0.53 (0.44–0.63, P < 0.001) | 0.56 (0.47–0.68, P < 0.001) |
| Not requested | 4825 (89.0%) | Reference category | Reference category | |
| Advice on prevention | Requested | 440 (8.1%) | 0.58 (0.48–0.71, P < 0.001) | 0.63 (0.51–0.77, P < 0.001) |
| Not requested | 4979 (91.9%) | Reference category | Reference category | |
| Advice for people who might need more tailored information, e.g. those with pre-existing conditions | Requested | 112 (2.1%) | 0.54 (0.36–0.82, P = 0.003) | 0.57 (0.38–0.86, P = 0.008) |
| Not requested | 5307 (12.8%) | Reference category | Reference category | |
| Advice on treatment | Requested | 417 (7.7%) | 0.58 (0.47–0.71, P < 0.001) | 0.62 (0.50–0.77, P < 0.001) |
| Not requested | 5002 (12.1%) | Reference category | Reference category | |
| Travel advice | Requested | 58 (1.1%) | 0.58 (0.34–0.98, P = 0.04) | 0.60 (0.35–1.03, P = 0.06) |
| Not requested | 5361 (98.9%) | Reference category | Reference category | |
| What other countries are doing | Requested | 34 (0.6%) | 0.25 (0.11–0.56, P = 0.001) | 0.27 (0.12–0.60, P = 0.001) |
| Not requested | 5385 (99.4%) | Reference category | Reference category | |
| Availability of medicine or vaccine | Requested | 69 (1.3%) | 0.57 (0.34–0.95, P = 0.03) | 0.54 (0.32–0.91, P = 0.02) |
| Not requested | 5350 (98.7%) | Reference category | Reference category | |
| How is swine flu spread | Requested | 50 (0.9%) | 0.50 (0.27–0.91, P = 0.02) | 0.54 (0.29–0.995, P = 0.048) |
| Not requested | 5369 (99.1%) | Reference category | Reference category | |
| How many people or places are affected | Requested | 68 (1.3%) | 0.72 (0.44–1.19, P = 0.20) | 0.70 (0.42–1.16, P = 0.17) |
| Not requested | 5350 (98.7%) | Reference category | Reference category | |
| A leaflet [circulated to all households during this period] | Requested | 212 (3.9%) | 0.65 (0.48–0.86, P = 0.003) | 0.68 (0.51–0.91, P = 0.009) |
| Not requested | 5207 (96.1%) | Reference category | Reference category | |
| Information on outbreaks in the local area | Requested | 124 (2.3%) | 1.02 (0.69–1.50, P = 0.94) | 0.98 (0.66–1.45, P = 0.91) |
| Not requested | 5295 (97.7%) | Reference category | Reference category | |
| Regular updates | Requested | 156 (2.9%) | 0.68 (0.49–0.96, P = 0.03) | 0.70 (0.49–0.98, P = 0.04) |
| Not requested | 5263 (97.1%) | Reference category | Reference category | |
| I have no additional information needs | Has no information needs | 3059 (56.4%) | 1.92 (1.71–2.15, P < 0.001) | 1.85 (1.64–2.08, P < 0.001) |
| Has information needs | 2360 (43.6%) | Reference category | Reference category | |