this country was accompanied by contradictory information, while worries about wide-spread influenza led to\r\ndiscrimination worldwide. Early understanding of public threat perceptions is therefore important for effective\r\npublic health communication and intervention.\r\nMethods: We interviewed 1011 respondents by phone two weeks after the first case. Questions examined risk\r\nawareness and media use, beliefs about the emergence of the threat and those most at risk, anxiety about\r\ninfection and preventive and avoidant behaviours.\r\nResults: Results demonstrate moderate levels of anxiety but relatively high levels of trust towards government\r\nofficials. Threat emergence was associated with hygiene levels, temperature change, floating pigs in the Huangpu\r\nRiver and migration to the city. Anxiety predicted both recommended and non-recommended behavioural\r\nchanges.\r\nConclusions: Comparatively high levels of trust in Chinese government advice about H7N9 contrast positively with\r\nprevious pandemic communications in China. Anxiety helped drive both recommended and non-recommended\r\nbehaviours, with potentially important economic and social implications. This included evidence of ââ?¬Ë?otheringââ?¬â?¢ of\r\nthose associated with the threat (e.g. migrants). Findings emphasise the need to manage public communications\r\nearly during new influenza outbreaks.
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