Influenza pandemic preparedness: motivation for protection among small and medium businesses in Australia

Watkins, Rochelle E; Cooke, Feonagh C; Donovan, Robert J; MacIntyre, C Raina; Itzwerth, Ralf; Plant, Aileen J

There is a shortage of data available to guide public health policy and practice in pandemic influenza planning and response [6] . Current guidance for pandemic influenza preparedness appears to have had little impact on preparedness among the small and medium business sectors in Australia. Our findings suggest that further investment by governments is required to improve both the specification of and utilisation of available planning resources, as has been highlighted previously [26] . Further work is required to underpin both the design of communication strategies to promote behavioural change, as well as the feasibility and effectiveness of strategies for disease control, which also support beliefs about being able to respond effectively to the threat of pandemic influenza.