Risk Behaviors and Public Awareness of Zika

The outbreak of the Zika virus in Brazil led to the declaration of a public health emergency by the World Health Organization in February 2016. The virus itself is rarely fatal and relatively harmless towards adults, but can be very dangerous to infants due to a strong association between Zika and microcephaly and other birth defects. In the following months, public health officials prepared for possible outbreaks in the continental United States. Because no vaccine or cure currently exists for the Zika virus, it is vital for public health officials to measure public awareness and concern towards the Zika virus, as well as how likely they would be to take preventative measures against it. This is a quantitative cross-sectional study that uses survey research to measure awareness, concern, and risk behaviors of college students in the Bay Area towards the Zika virus. This study can represent a model to be used in areas with higher risks of Zika outbreaks