An important role in the prevention of influenza and acute viral infections is awareness of population about risk factors of infection and development of complications.
The goal is to assess the individual risk of influenza and acute viral infections among students of Semey Medical University.
Material and methods of investigation. 109 students of the medical university were surveyed.The questionnaire contained questions about risk factors and prevention of diseases.
Results of the study. Among students aged 17 to 25 years (96%) female were predominated (73%). Analysis of students' answers to the questionnaire about risk of acute respiratory diseases and influenza showed that 73% of the respondents did not immediately seek medical help (1 point), 27% - immediately (0 points). Means of individual protection (masks) for the prevention of infections are used by 84% of students (0 points), 16% - did not use (1 point). Annual preventive vaccination against influenza is not done by 83% of respondents (1 point), did not do it - 17% (0 points). 70% of students believed that flu vaccine can prevent disease (0 points), 30% - gave a negative answer (1 point). 91% of respondents considered themselves informed about the prevention of influenza (0 points), 9% - no (1 point). Drugs for the treatment of acute respiratory infections and flu are known to 98% of respondents (0 points), did not know - 2% (1 point). 83% of respondents took antiviral medications without a doctor's appointment (self-medicate) (1 point), 17% - did not take (0 points). 83% of students continue to work with flu ("to carry the disease on their feet") (1 point), 17% - answered negatively (0 points). 84% of respondents did not have chronic diseases (diabetes, bronchial asthma, obesity, kidney disease, etc.) (0 points), 16% - had (1 point). 89% of students did not have bad habits (smoking, alcohol) (0 points), 11% - answered positively (1 point). Summing up all the scores, the following results were obtained: 1% of the students had 0 points; 1 point - 4%; 2 points -4%; 3 points - 15%; 4 points - 45%; 5 points - 17%; 6 points - 12%; 7 points - 0%; 8 points - 1%; 9 points - 0%; 10 points - 1%. Respondents who scored from 4 to 10 points were at risk. In all, 76% of the students were at risk.
Thus, more than two-thirds of students in medical school were at risk for influenza and acute respiratory viral infections and need to do preventive measures.