Survey Shows Decreased Bird Flu Concern Among U.S. Consumers

[LMonty]

7/4/2007 4:15:00 PM


Concerns about highly pathogenic avian influenza among U.S. consumers have diminished over the past 12 months, according to a survey conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs.

Nearly one quarter of respondents (27 percent) indicated they had more than a moderate level of concern about bird flu in the United States generally, down eight percentage points from last year. More specifically, these concerns seem concentrated at a general level, with fewer respondents saying bird flu is a threat to their personal health. Only 15 percent of respondents reported more than a moderate level of concern about bird flu as a risk to themselves or their families.

As in 2006, most respondents said news about bird flu is not impacting their eating habits when it comes to poultry or poultry products; approximately 90 percent said there has been no change in their consumption of chicken, turkey or eggs.

Ipsos conducted the survey online between June 7 and June 17 among 1,438 U.S. adults aged 18 years and older. For more details about the results, click here http://www.ipsos-na.com/news/pressrelease.cfm?id=3553.
(Significantly more info at the link above-LM)


Source: Ann Bagel Storck on 7/4/2007 for Meatingplace.com

http://www.cattlenetwork.com/content.asp?contentid=142357

 

[gsgs]

Re: Survey Shows Decreased Bird Flu Concern Among U.S. Consumers

summary:

Ipsos-poll in June 2007 , n=1438 US-adults
http://www.ipsos-na.com/news/pressrelease.cfm?id=3553
numbers from last year's poll in (parentheses)

how concerned are you that you will get sick from bird flu ?
concerned:27%(35) , moderately concerned:34%(34) , not concerned:41%(31)

how concerned are you that someone in your household will get sick from bird flu ?
concerned:15%(24) , moderately concerned:30%(29) , not concerned:46%(57)

how much have you read,heard or seen about bird flu
a lot/some 56%,(74) , a little/nothing 45%(26)

how much attention should the government give to bird flu ?
more : 32%,(42) , same:62%(45) , less:8%(13)

did birdflu change your eating habits wrt. chicken,turkey,eggs ?
never eat it anyway : 2%,4%,2% , stopped eating it : 0%,1%,1%
eat much less of it : 2%,2%,2% , eat a little less of it : 5%,4%,5% , no change : 91%,89%,90%

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the amount of media coverage influences the consumer's opinion
which in turn influences the politician's opinion (elections next year !)
which in turn decide about the budget for spendings
for panflu-preparations and for panflu-research grants ,
which in turn influence the expert's opinions who
give interviews to the media.
Nov. 2005 , panflu budget of $7e9 in Congress <==> much interviews,
media-coverage - June 2007 Congress considers to cut the
panflu-budget <==> few interviews, media-attention