Community Perspectives on Japanese Encephalitis Risk and Prevention in an Endemic Region of Australia
Jennifer White, Peter Murray, Megan Vilder, Sharon Saxby, David N. DurrheimABSTRACT
Objective
Japanese encephalitis (JE) is a mosquito‐borne disease caused by JE virus (JEV) infection, detected for the first time in south‐eastern Australia in 2022. In New South Wales (NSW), detections of JEV in mosquitoes and animal hosts, human JE cases, and climate and environmental considerations have informed which areas are considered high risk for JEV and which populations are eligible for vaccination (funded by Australian states and territories). However, early evidence indicates slower‐than‐expected uptake in these high‐risk areas. We aimed to explore how community members and healthcare professionals (HCPs), including general practitioners (GPs), pharmacists, and nurses, perceive and have responded to JEV risk through vaccination and personal mosquito‐bite prevention practices.
Setting
Tamworth is classified as high‐risk for JEV by NSW Health.
Participants
Semi‐structured interviews with community participants ( n = 15), GPs ( n = 7), nurses ( n = 3), and pharmacists ( n = 3).
Design
An interpretative qualitative study. Data were analysed using an inductive thematic approach.
Results
Three themes were identified: (1) Risk awareness shaped by experience, not policy: “I didn't realise Tamworth was identified as an area as well, I just was totally unaware,” (2) Vaccine eligibility does not translate into uptake: “There isn't really much promotion at the moment,” and (3) Building community‐level preparedness through communication: “Messaging that the whole community knows about.”
Conclusion
Despite early public health efforts, awareness of