Astudy by researchers at the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention compared Florida’s response to the Zika outbreak with the rest of the U.S., and found a need for a broader community response to a public health threat like Zika.
Floridians were nearly twice as likely as the rest of the country to say they took steps to protect themselves from Zika. But the total number of people in the state who responded with preventative measures numbered around half.
More than 12,000 people took part in the study, with a larger number of participants in Florida, where the population was more informed about Zika, and more active in taking steps to protect themselves. The results of the study reflect a much-needed boost in public health awareness and community involvement.
“People need to understand that by protecting themselves from the virus, they’re protecting everyone from the virus,” says lead author Kenneth M. Winneg, the managing director of survey research at the APPC. “It’s not enough to have the people who are most at risk protecting themselves. You need the entire community involved.”
Read more at the Annenberg Public Policy Center.
