Risk Evaluation And Countermeasures To Human Avian Influenza In Poultry Farmers In Shaoxing

Objective: To know the degree of awareness of human avian influenza (HAI) and relative knowledge among poultry farmers in Shaoxing; to determine the risk level through risk evaluation of HAI; to provide theoretical foundation for HAI prevention of poultry farmers in the region.Methods: Investigate the awareness of HAI and relative knowledge among poultry farmers in Shaoxing, and analyse the data through SPSS 12.0, decide the risk factors of avian influenza by expert consultation method (Delphi), establish risk evaluation models, determine the norms and weights of risk factors of avian influenza.Results: The total rate of awareness of HAI and relative knowledge among poultry farmers in Shaoxing is 69.51%; there is a remarkable discrepancy of awareness rates among poultry farmers working for different years; there is not a significant discrepancy of awareness rates among poultry farmers investigated as regards general demographic features such as sex, age, level of literacy; and there is no remarkable discrepancy of awareness rates among poultry farmers from different areas and of different-sized poultry farms. We decided the risk factors of HAI by expert consultation method (Delphi), established risk evaluation models, determined the norms and weights of risk factors of avian influenza. Through analysis and computing, the level of avian influenza risk in November 2005 in Shaoxing is high. Conclusion: Poultry farmers have basic knowledge of HAI, but have low level of knowledge. It is necessary to continue to intensify the health education and training of HAI preventive knowledge to this group of persons from different aspects, in various patterns and at regular intervals, evaluate the effectiveness in time and raise their grasp level of the knowledge of HAI. When the grade of avian influenza risk is low, major attention should be paid to the prevention of inner-farm epidemics; when middle, to the outside epidemics; when high, to the self prevention and protection of poultry farmers themselves.