University College London - Viral behaviour

Attitudes to swine flu are to be investigated in a project at University College London funded with £53,000 from the National Health Service's National Institute for Health Research. The study aims to identify behaviours that could lead to the spread of the virus, cases of which are forecast to peak this autumn. The researchers will also investigate how attitudes to the illness vary with socio-economic and other demographic variables, geographic area, and over time. Henry Potts, lecturer in health informatics, said: "Until a vaccine is ready, the main tool we have to combat pandemic flu is people's behaviour. We will be investigating whether the advice from the NHS is getting through to the public."