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Majority of Physicians Believe Bird Flu will Reach United States

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  • Majority of Physicians Believe Bird Flu will Reach United States

    Majority of Physicians Believe Bird Flu will Reach United States

    -- Only One-Third Believe Government Is Prepared to Respond Effectively --

    FLEMINGTON, NJ, March 16, 2005 – A new national survey of 760 physicians revealed that an overwhelming majority of physicians (86 percent) believe it is "likely" that the Avian Bird Flu will reach the U.S, while more than half of physicians (55 percent) believe it is "very likely" that the bird flu will reach the U.S.

    The national survey was conducted by HCD Research and Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion (MCIPO) during March 13-14, to compare physicians' views on the bird flu with the results of a recent ABC News poll conducted among Americans.

    Among the findings:

    A clear majority of physicians (86 percent) believe it is "likely" the bird flu will reach the U.S. and 55 percent believe it is "very likely", 78 percent of Americans believe it is "likely" and only 30 percent believe that it is "very likely" that it will reach the U.S.

    A majority of physicians (72 percent) are concerned about the bird flu coming to the U.S. and nearly one-quarter (23 percent) are very concerned. Similarly, 66 percent of Americans are concerned about it reaching the U.S. and just over one quarter (26 percent) are very concerned.

    Less than half of physicians (46 percent) are worried that it will affect them personally or their family, and a similar number of Americans (41 percent) are worried that it will affect them or their families.

    While only one-third of physicians (31 percent) indicated that they are confident in the federal government's ability to handle an outbreak of the bird flu in the U.S., more than half of Americans (59 percent) reported that they are confident.

    "The findings in this study and an earlier study that we conducted in October confirm that physicians are taking the threat of human infection very seriously," stated Glenn Kessler, co-founder and managing partner, HCD Research. "We can speculate that the recent flurry of reports from Western Europe may have heightened their concern."

    "After reviewing the results of our survey of physicians and the ABC News poll of the general public, it appears that U.S. doctors are more likely to believe that the avian flu virus will arrive in the United States than the general public," noted Christopher Borick, Ph.D., director of the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion. "However, generally there is the same level of concern among physicians regarding the virus as the populous."

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