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The public's awareness of the threat of dengue fever and SARS rose in 2003 and most people adopted good practices in preventive health measures.

Dr Regina Ching of the Centre for Health Protection made the above remarks when releasing the results of a survey on the public perception of dengue fever and SARS today (July 2). She called on the public to make a sustained effort to maintain good personal and environmental hygiene.

The survey was conducted by the Department of Health from December 1 to 30, 2003 to evaluate the effectiveness of the Government's anti-dengue fever and SARS campaigns.

A total of 3,163 people, aged 12 and above, were interviewed. This is a response rate of 71%.

The survey gauged the public's awareness of health campaigns for dengue fever and SARS prevention; their knowledge of and attitude towards preventive measures for the diseases; and their practice of preventive measures for dengue fever and SARS. The survey also identified factors influencing the adoption of these preventive measures.

Dr Ching said that in subtropical areas like Hong Kong, mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue fever, malaria and Japanese encephalitis had always posed a threat to public health. The SARS outbreak in 2003 caused a great loss to the whole community, she said.

"To better understand the public's perception and hygienic practices regarding dengue fever and SARS will certainly help the Centre for Health Protection to map out effective control action against these diseases," Dr Ching said.

Even though Hong Kong has been free from SARS since June 2003 and there has been no local dengue fever case in the past eight months, public vigilance should remain high. This is because, for dengue fever, Hong Kong has recorded 14 imported cases so far this year; and for SARS, there were sporadic cases reported in neighbouring areas earlier this year. Take the case of dengue fever as an example, if an affected individual is stung by a mosquito, the mosquito vector can pass the virus to other individuals, causing an outbreak in the community.

Dr Ching urged members of the public, including those travelling to neighbouring areas where mosquito-borne diseases are prevalent, to take preventive measures to protect themselves against mosquito bites.

"We need to use every possible means to protect ourselves from mosquito-borne diseases. These are simple and practical actions that can save you from contracting diseases like dengue fever, malaria and Japanese encephalitis.

"One of the most effective ways to control these diseases is to maintain good environmental hygiene," Dr Ching said.

She noted that findings of the survey indicated that over 90% of the public had fair to good knowledge of dengue fever and SARS and about 97% were aware of preventive measures against these diseases.

"It is encouraging to find that the public is of the view that to maintain a hygienic environment requires the collective effort of the whole community."

Noting that the respondents were accustomed to putting refuse in covered litter bins (96%), keeping drains free from blockage (85%) and covering all water containers tightly (67%) to prevent dengue fever, Dr Ching said the survey indicated that some personal preventive measures including the use of mosquito repellent (43%) and the installation of mosquito nets in non-air-conditioned rooms (18%) were less practised by the public.

"To eliminate mosquito breeding and reduce the risk of being stung by mosquitoes, all preventive measures should be strictly observed," Dr Ching added.

For SARS, the survey found that 94% of the respondents covered their noses and mouths when sneezing or coughing; 89% washed their hands after sneezing, coughing or blowing their nose and 89% used liquid soap when washing their hands.

However, Dr Ching said that other measures such as using serving utensils when having meals with others (46%) and family members (21%) are not commonly adopted by the respondents to prevent SARS.

"The survey showed that those who did not take dengue fever and SARS preventive measures considered that such measures were not necessary, or too troublesome, or they did not have a habit of doing so," Dr Ching noted.

She stressed that in order to minimise the risk of contracting these serious diseases, the public should cultivate a habit of strictly observing all preventive measures. "Taking steps to protect oneself from contracting infectious diseases often means protecting your neighbours from acquiring the same infections. There is absolutely no room for complacency," Dr Ching said.

The survey also revealed that 80% of the respondents considered that Hong Kong's environmental hygiene had improved after the SARS outbreak last year and over 50% of the public agreed that the community had a role to play in maintaining a hygienic environment.

"The public was generally satisfied with the Government's efforts in providing dengue fever (60%) and SARS (65%) prevention information," Dr Ching said, adding that "the Government would continue to increase the health literacy of the community in a bid to keep Hong Kong a clean city".

She concluded that the survey showed the Government's anti-dengue fever and anti-SARS campaigns were generally effective.

"However, without the full and continuous support and co-operation of members of the public, the Government's efforts in controlling mosquito-borne diseases and SARS would not have made an impact.

"There is no room for complacency. We need to do more to increase public understanding and awareness of the diseases and promote anti-mosquito practices against them," Dr Ching said.

The full survey report has been uploaded to the Central Health and Education Unit website (www.cheu.gov.hk/eng/professional/index.htm).

Ends/Friday, July 2, 2004

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