Smallpox: The misunderstood virus
By now you’d think everyone in America would be walking, talking experts on smallpox -- but ignorance apparently abounds.
A new survey, to be published in the January issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, found that most Americans don’t even know that smallpox was eradicated from the natural world more than two decades ago.
The published report, based on a poll of 1,006 adults between Oct. 8 and Dec. 8, was one of several smallpox-themed papers released early by the journal last week “to help inform the current debate about smallpox vaccination.”
In addition to vaccinating military personnel, the Bush administration is offering voluntary smallpox vaccination first to health care and emergency workers and, by 2004, to the American public.
The survey found that, although most people knew that smallpox is a contagious disease, 11% did not. Also:
30% believed there have been smallpox cases in the United States in the last five years, and 63% thought there had been cases somewhere in the world in that time. Fact: The last known U.S. case of smallpox was in 1949, and the last natural case worldwide was reported in 1977.
78% thought there is an effective treatment for smallpox infections. Fact: There is no specific treatment for smallpox.
30% believe that if they were vaccinated in childhood, they are still immune. Fact: Experts believe that people vaccinated decades ago are no longer immune.
One-fourth said they were likely to die if given the vaccine (6% thought it very likely) and 41% thought they would likely become seriously sick (11% thought it very likely). Fact: The vaccine can have serious side effects, but the risk is much lower than respondents believe. For each million people vaccinated, it is estimated that 14 to 52 people will become seriously ill and one to two will die.
Only 16% believe there is enough vaccine for everyone in case of a terrorist attack. Fact: The government says there is enough vaccine for everyone.
“The level of misperception is much higher than we expected,” said lead author Robert Blendon, professor of health policy and political analysis at the Harvard School of Public Health. This is serious, he said. “People will be making choices about whether to get vaccinated or not, so they need the basic facts.”
The survey was designed and analyzed by the Harvard School of Public Health and conducted by International Communications Research. It found that 65% of Americans think the public should have access to the vaccine and that doctors may significantly influence decisions: 73% said they would get the vaccine if their doctor opted to have it. Only 21% would do so if the doctor refused.
To raise awareness, Blendon recommends use of educational leaflets at doctor’s offices, respected and visible “Dr. Koop-like” spokesmen and some kind of “entertainment figure” who speaks on smallpox.
“But I haven’t nominated anybody,” he said.
To learn more about the smallpox virus, visit www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/smallpox.
