Research articles Risk perception and information-seeking behaviour

During the influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 pandemic in 2009/10, a total of 13 consecutive surveys were car-ried out of the general population in Germany to moni-tor knowledge, attitude and behaviour concerning the disease and vaccination against pandemic influenza in real time. In total, 13,010 persons aged 14 years or older were interviewed by computer-assisted tel-ephone techniques between November 2009 and April 2010. During the peak of the pandemic, only 18 % of participants stated that they perceived the risk of pan-demic influenza as high; this proportion fell to 10% in January 2010. There was a significant difference in information-seeking behaviour among population sub-groups concerning the disease and vaccine uptake. However, in all subgroups, conventional media sources such as television, radio and newspapers were more frequently used than the Internet. While the major-ity of participants (78%) felt sufficiently informed to make a decision for or against vaccination, overall vaccination coverage remained low. Among those who decided against vaccination, fear of adverse events and perception that the available vaccines were not sufficiently evaluated were the most frequently stated reasons. Such mistrust in the vaccines and the per-ceived low risk of the disease were the main barriers that contributed to the low vaccination coverage in Germany during the pandemic