<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> In the past we have seen numerous cases of the purposeful utilisation of micro-organisms and toxins. This situation forced us to undertake actions aimed at a limitation of the production and storage of biological weapons. Unfortunately, despite the signing of the Convention on Biological and Chemical Weapons, many countries are still involved in research into the use of biological agents as a military resource.The objective of the work was to perform an assessment of the knowledge of threats connected with bioterrorism as well as of the procedures in the case of a bioterrorist attack in two different urban populations - i.e. of below 50 thousand and above 500 thousand inhabitants.The study was conducted in two towns, Nysa and Łódź. A self-designed questionnaire included 100 persons from each town, both men and women aged between 18 and 65 years. Despite the small differences between the researched populations, the knowledge of respondents concerning bioterrorist threats and procedures during an attack is insufficient.On the basis of the obtained results we may conclude that there is a need to educate the entire society, irrespective of the place of residence, in order to raise an awareness with regard to the potential threat and procedures in the event of a bioterrorist attack.</abstract>

In the past we have seen numerous cases of the purposeful utilisation of micro-organisms and toxins. This situation forced us to undertake actions aimed at a limitation of the production and storage of biological weapons. Unfortunately, despite the signing of the Convention on Biological and Chemical Weapons, many countries are still involved in research into the use of biological agents as a military resource.The objective of the work was to perform an assessment of the knowledge of threats connected with bioterrorism as well as of the procedures in the case of a bioterrorist attack in two different urban populations - i.e. of below 50 thousand and above 500 thousand inhabitants.The study was conducted in two towns, Nysa and Łódź. A self-designed questionnaire included 100 persons from each town, both men and women aged between 18 and 65 years. Despite the small differences between the researched populations, the knowledge of respondents concerning bioterrorist threats and procedures during an attack is insufficient.On the basis of the obtained results we may conclude that there is a need to educate the entire society, irrespective of the place of residence, in order to raise an awareness with regard to the potential threat and procedures in the event of a bioterrorist attack.

The Assessment of Knowledge of Organisational - Administrative Procedures in the Case of a Bioterrorist Threat in Selected Environmental Populations

Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Medical University of Łódź,

Polish Hyperbaric Research

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

In the past we have seen numerous cases of the purposeful utilisation of micro-organisms and toxins. This situation forced us to undertake actions aimed at a...

The Assessment of Knowledge of Organisational - Administrative Procedures in the Case of a Bioterrorist Threat in Selected Environmental Populations

Published Online: Mar 14, 2017

Page range: 65 - 70

Received: Nov 24, 2016

Accepted: Dec 22, 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/phr-2016-0027

Keywords
bioterrorism, administrative-organisational procedures, population's behaviour during threat

© 2017

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

The Assessment of Knowledge of Organisational - Administrative Procedures in the Case of a Bioterrorist Threat in Selected Environmental Populations

Published Online: Mar 14, 2017

Page range: 65 - 70

Received: Nov 24, 2016

Accepted: Dec 22, 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/phr-2016-0027

Keywordsbioterrorism, administrative-organisational procedures, population's behaviour during threat

© 2017

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
bioterrorism, administrative-organisational procedures, population's behaviour during threat