H1N1 (Swine Flu) Preparedness July 2009 Poll Telephone survey of 1,002 U.S. Adults 18 years and older on July 17-20, 2009 conducted by CARAVAN® Opinion Research Corporation. Margin of error is +/- 3.1 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.

Report Date: August 6, 2009

Communication and Marketing DepartmentResearch & Public Inquiry

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Key Findings• While only one in ten Americans (11%) is very worried about swine flu,

Americans are showing a strong interest in taking protective actions, with most interest focused appropriately on hand washing and covering coughs and sneezes.

• Nearly two thirds of Americans (62%) plan on getting a flu shot for this new flu if one was offered.

• Less than half of Americans (46%) are planning on assembling the food, water and medicine they might need for a two-week quarantine.

• While many schools and daycares are communicating with parents about flu precautions, more than a third of parents (39%) have received no such information from their children’s school or daycare.

• One in twenty (6%) Americans personally knows someone who has had this new flu. Higher-income Americans were the most likely to know someone who’s had swine flu (13%).

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One in ten Americans is very worried about this new flu. African Americans, low-income Americans and those with children are most likely to be very worried.

The next series of questions are about the flu. Since last spring, there have been news stories about the outbreak of a new flu in different parts of the world. This flu is sometimes called swine flu or H1N1 [H-One-N-One] flu. How worried are you that you or someone in your family will be exposed to this infection? Are you. . . very worried, somewhat worried, not too worried, or not worried at all?

Very Worried,

11%

Somewhat

Worried, 29%

Not Too Worried,

32%

Not Worried At

All, 28%

Most worried are African Americans (25% very worried), Americans earning under $35,000 a year (17% very worried) and those with children in the household (15% very worried).

Americans with a college degree or more are least likely to be very worried (4%)

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There is strong public interest in flu precautions.Comparing reported behavior in May with intentions in July, more Americans are taking an interest in protecting themselves and others from this new flu.

Which of the following actions are you taking or planning on taking to protect yourself and others from this new flu?

8%

29%

46%

46%

49%

56%

62%

62%

64%

76%

78%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

Wear a face mask out in public

Avoid going places where there might be a lot of people

Make sure you had enough food, water and medicine so youcould stay home for up to two weeks if necessary

Give someone else advice about how to reduce the risk ofgetting the flu

Look for more info about how to reduce the risk of gettingthe flu

Make an extra effort to avoid touching your eyes, nose andmouth

Use hand sanitizer more often

Get a flu shot for this new flu if one is available

Make an extra effort to clean surfaces at home or at workwith disinfectant

Start washing your hands more carefully and more often

Make an extra effort to cover coughs and sneezes w ith atissue

93% are taking or planning on taking at least one action.

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Women have more interest in flu precautions than men

• Women are more likely to be planning on taking these protective actions:– Covering their coughs and sneezes (84%)– Washing hands (81%)– Cleaning surfaces at home and work (70%)– Avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth (65%)

• Seniors (65 and over) were most likely to plan on having enough food, water and medicine if quarantined for up to two weeks (61%)

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Two-thirds (62%) plan to get a flu shot if one is available

• Most interested in getting a shot for this new flu are:– Americans with less than a high school education

(82%)– African Americans (72%)– Americans 65 and over (71%) – Americans with incomes below $35,000 (70%)– Residents of the South (69%)

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391 of these respondents had a child in daycare, preschool, school or living in a college dormitory One in three (39%) had not received any information about flu precautions from all their children’s schools or daycares.

Have you received any information from the school or daycare about precautions they are taking to prevent the spread of flu? Would you say. . .

Don't K now, 2%

No, 39%

Y es, from

at least

one, 16%

Y es, from

all, 44%

At 54%, women were more likely than men to report that they had received information about flu precautions from all of their children’s schools or daycares.

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One in twenty Americans (6%) personally know someone who has had H1N1 or swine flu

• More common among people with incomes of $100,000 (13%).

• Less common in the South (3%)

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Contact Information

• Poll Findings Sharron Silva at (202) 303-4424 silvas@usa.redcross.orgTanya Mitchell at (202) 303-8727 mitchelt@usa.redcross.org