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Awareness of the Pandemic H1N1 Influenza Outbreak Among Malaysian Dental Students
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Introduction: Influenza A (H1N1) is the most recent of the pandemic diseases that has affected the world’s population. The aim of this study was to assess knowledge, attitudes and behaviours regarding H1N1 pandemic among Malaysian dental students. Methodology: The data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire and results were analysed using SPSS version 15. Results: The most common symptoms identified were fever (50.8%), breathing difficulty (41.0%), and cough (39.3%). It was considered to be a moderately dangerous infection by approximately one third of the students (31.1%). Majority (88.9%) of the students agreed that washing hands with soap is the most effective preventive measure. It was followed by travel restriction that was reported by 77% of them as a preventive measure for the pandemic. Conclusion: This study concluded that a large number of students did not have complete awareness about disease transmission, preventive measures, vaccinations, and treatments available.
Keywords
Dental Students, H1N1 Virus, Influenza, Knowledge, Malaysian Students, Pandemic, Public Health, Prevention and Control, Questionnaires, Swine Flu.
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