Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #111964

Matthew Wynia, MD, MPH, Institute for Ethics, American Medical Association, 515 North State Street, Chicago, IL 60610, Gregory L. Larkin, MD, MSPH, MS, Surgery, Emergency Medicine, Clinical Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390-8579, 214-648-2904, gregory.larkin@utsouthwestern.edu, and G. Caleb Alexander, MD, MS, Internal Medicine, University of Chicago, 5841 S. Maryland, MC 2007, Chicago, IL 60637.

Objectives: Physicians and policy-makers are working to maximize terrorism preparedness while balancing competing public health priorities. We compared bioterror preparedness, willingness to respond, and beliefs regarding public health priorities among emergency and primary care physicians.

Methods: Random, cross-sectional survey of a national physician sample of primary care and emergency medicine physicians.

Results: Overall, 32% of respondents agreed they are “well prepared to play a role in responding to a bioterror attack,” though this measure of preparedness was higher among emergency (37%) than primary care hysicians (12%, p<0.001 for the difference). Half of both groups (54% and 50%, NS)would volunteer to serve in a medical reserve corps for emergencies. Almost half would be "willing to put myself at risk of contracting a deadly illness if it was the only way to save others' lives" (45% and 48%, NS). Fewer than half (44% and 44%, NS) however, believe their local healthcare system is well prepared for natural epidemics, such as influenza, which most (74% and 73%, NS) consider to pose a greater threat than bioterrorism. A notable minority are concerned that, "to prepare for bioterrorism, resources in my community are being diverted from more important public health problems" (18% and 24%, NS).

Conclusions: Most physicians do not feel well prepared for bioterrorism and some are concerned that public health resources would be better targeted to general public health preparedness.

Learning Objectives:

• To describe the results of a national survey of physician preparedness for bioterrorism and natural public health emergencies.

Keywords: Bioterrorism, Physicians

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation