Working Papers Project - Harvard

Working Papers
Project on the Public and Biological Security
Harvard School of Public Health
15.

AIRLINE CONTAGIOUS DISEASES

Robert J. Blendon, Harvard School of Public Health, Project Director
John M. Benson, Harvard School of Public Health
Catherine M. DesRoches, Harvard School of Public Health
Melissa J. Herrmann, ICR/International Communications Research
Elizabeth Raleigh, Harvard School of Public Health
Kathleen J. Weldon, Harvard School of Public Health

July 19, 2004

Survey Finds Most Air Travelers Want to Be Contacted if They Might
Have Been Exposed to a Serious Contagious Disease
Most Are Willing to Provide Information to Help Health Officials Contact Them, But They Are Not
Willing to Spend Much Extra Time to Provide It

Boston, MA – A new study by the Harvard School of Public Health Project on the Public and Biological
Security finds that the vast majority (94%) of air travelers would want public health authorities to contact
them if they might have been exposed to a serious contagious disease on an airplane. Large majorities of
Americans who fly domestically or internationally are willing to provide information that would help
public health officials contact them in such an event.
Currently international air travelers are required to provide emergency contact information, and a large
majority are willing to continue doing so. Nearly nine in ten Americans who travel internationally (89%)
would be willing to give the airlines the name and telephone number of someone who could be contacted in
case of an emergency. Similarly, about nine in ten (88%) of those international air travelers who take a cell
phone, pager, or hand-held wireless email when they fly are willing to provide the phone or pager number
or email address for these devices. Nearly three-fourths (73%) are willing to provide the addresses and
telephone numbers of the places they are going. Overall, 89% of international fliers are willing to provide
one or more type of contact information, 7% are unwilling to provide any, and 4% don’t know.
Domestic air travelers are not currently required to provide emergency contact information, but most of
them are willing to. The proportion of domestic travelers willing to provide such information is nearly
identical to that of international travelers. Overall, 93% are willing to provide one or more type of contact
information, 5% are unwilling to provide any, and 2% don’t know.
These findings are based on interviews conducted June 4-8, 2004, with 1,006 adults nationwide, including
633 domestic fliers (Americans who take one or more domestic flights within the U.S. per year) and 240
international fliers (Americans who take one or more international flights per year).
“The combination of possible threats of bioterrorism carried out on airplanes and newly emerging
infectious diseases has left most Americans willing to cooperate with public health authorities who need
emergency contact information to head off the spread of dangerous diseases,” said Robert J. Blendon,
Professor of Health Policy and Political Analysis at the Harvard School of Public Health.
The worldwide SARS epidemic last year highlighted the difficulties public health officials can have in
notifying airline passengers quickly. Their experience was that, once passengers left the airport, it was very
difficult to contact those who might have been exposed to SARS. This raised the question of what could
been done to make such contacts easier.
About half of domestic (52%) and international air travelers (50%) believe that public health authorities
today can quickly obtain air passengers’ emergency contact information to warn them about possible
exposure to a serious contagious disease.
Time Is an Important Consideration
There is an important caveat to air travelers’ willingness to provide emergency contact information: most
are not willing to wait very long to provide such information.

More than three in five domestic (61%) and international fliers (66%) said they would either not be willing
to give emergency information at all or would no longer be willing to do so if it added 10 minutes to the
time it took to make a reservation or to check in.
In addition, about two-thirds of fliers said they were concerned that the privacy of their emergency
information would not be protected. Nearly four in ten domestic (37%) and international fliers (38%) said
they were very concerned.
“These findings suggest support for airlines and public health officials to work together to find some simple
system where this information can be entered and retrieved easily while maintaining passengers’ privacy,”
said Professor Blendon.
Easiest Ways to Provide Emergency Information
About three in five domestic (60%) and international (63%) travelers who take a cell phone, pager, or handheld wireless email with them when they fly said that the numbers or email addresses for these devices
were the easiest form of emergency information for them to provide. A majority of those who do not take
along such devices when they fly domestically (68% ) and internationally (55%) said that it was easiest to
provide the name and telephone number of someone who could be contacted in case of an emergency.
Air travelers considered the least convenient type of emergency information to be providing the addresses
and telephone numbers of the places they were going.
For each of the types of emergency information air travelers were willing to provide, air travelers said that
the easiest time to supply this information would be when they make their airline reservation.
This study was designed and analyzed by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health. The project
director is Robert J. Blendon of the Harvard School of Public Health. The research team also includes
Catherine M. DesRoches, John M. Benson, Stephen R. Pelletier, Kathleen Weldon and Elizabeth Raleigh
of the Harvard School of Public Health and Melissa J. Herrmann of ICR/International Communications
Research. Fieldwork was conducted via telephone by ICR/International Communications Research of
Media (PA) between June 4-8, 2004. The survey was conducted with a nationally representative sample of
1,006 adults age 18 and over. The sample included 633 domestic fliers (Americans who take one or more
domestic flights within the U.S. per year) and 240 international fliers (Americans who take one or more
international flights per year).
The margin of error for domestic fliers is +/- 4 percentage points; for international fliers, +/-7 points.

Willingness of Air Traveler to Provide
Emergency Information
If you had been on an airplane with someone who had a highly
contagious disease…
Domestic Fliers
International Fliers

Would want public health
officials to contact you, warn
you of potential exposure

94%
94%

In order to help public health officials contact you as quickly as possible, willing to….
Give name/phone number of
someone to contact

93%
89%

Give cell phone or pager
number or email address
(among those who take them
on flights)
Give address and phone
number of places you are going

83%
88%
74%
73%

Source: Harvard School of Public Health Project on the Public and Biological Security, June 2004.

Easiest Way to Provide Emergency Information
Among those who take cell phone,
pager, or hand-held wireless email
on this kind of flight
Give cell phone/pager
number/email address

60%

NA

63%

Give name/phone
number of emergency
contact

Give addresses and
phone numbers of
places you are going

Among those who don’t take such
devices

68%

30%
29%

55%

23%

6%

26%

3%

7%

3%

Not willing to give any
“Don’t know” not shown

12%

4%

Domestic fliers

International fliers

Source: Harvard School of Public Health Project on the Public and Biological Security, June 2004.

How Much Extra Time Fliers Would Be Willing to Take to
Provide Emergency Information
Not willing to give
emergency information

5%

Domestic Fliers
International Fliers

7%

Willing to wait
56%

Less than 10
minutes

10 minutes or
more

59%
39%
33%

Source: Harvard School of Public Health Project on the Public and Biological Security, June 2004.

Harvard School of Public Health
Project on the Public and Biological Security

AIRLINE CONTAGIOUS DISEASE SURVEY
June 4-8, 2004
N=1006 adults nationwide,
including 633 domestic fliers and 240 international fliers

Research Team:
Robert J. Blendon, Harvard School of Public Health, Project Director
John M. Benson, Harvard School of Public Health
Catherine M. DesRoches, Harvard School of Public Health
Stephen R. Pelletier, Harvard School of Public Health
Melissa J. Herrmann, ICR/International Communications Research
Elizabeth Raleigh, Harvard School of Public Health
Kathleen J. Weldon, Harvard School of Public Health

Contact:
Robert J. Blendon, 617-432-4502

Job #/S8922
June 4, 2004
Sarsairlinesqn.doc

53 West Baltimore Pike
Media, Pennsylvania 19063-5698

I N T E R N A T I O N A L

C O M M U N I C A T I O N S

R E S E A R C H

Harvard School of Public Health
Project on the Public and Biological Security
Airline Contagious Disease Survey
This study was conducted by telephone from June 4 – June 8, 2004 among a nationally representative sample
of 1006 adults age 18 and older. All field work by ICR/International Communications Research of Media,
PA. “Domestic fliers” are those who take one or more domestic flights within the U.S. per year (n=633).
“International fliers” are those who take one or more international flights per year (n=240).
You may remember that last year public health authorities were very concerned about the
possible spread of a highly contagious disease called SARS. While SARS did not affect the
United States, many were concerned that Americans could be infected with SARS by
traveling with infected people on airplanes.
SA-1.

Total
adults
Domestic
fliers
Intl fliers
SA-2.

Total
adults
Domestic
fliers
Intl fliers

If you had been on an airplane with someone who had a highly contagious disease, such as SARS,
tuberculosis (TB) or meningitis, would you WANT or would you not WANT public health
authorities to contact you to warn you of your potential exposure?
Would WANT public health
authorities to contact you

Would not WANT public health
authorities to contact you

94

4

Don’t
know
2

Refused
1

94

5

1

0

94

4

1

0

If you had been on an airplane with someone who had a highly contagious disease, such as SARS,
tuberculosis (TB) or meningitis, would you EXPECT or would you not EXPECT that public health
authorities would contact you to warn you of your potential exposure?
Would EXPECT public health
authorities to contact you

Would not EXPECT public health
authorities to contact you

80

17

Don’t
know
2

Refused
1

81

18

1

*

78

20

1

0

SA-3.

If public health authorities TODAY had to get passengers’ emergency contact information to warn
them about possible exposure to a serious contagious disease, do you think it would be easy or hard
for them to get this information?
Easy
52
56
56

Total adults
Domestic fliers
Intl fliers
SA-4.

Har d
40
34
40

Don’t know
8
4
4

Refused
1
0
0

If public health authorities TODAY had to get passengers’ emergency contact information, do you
think they could do this quickly, or would it take them a long time to get this information?
Do quickly
47
52
50

Total adults
Domestic fliers
Intl fliers
SA-5.

Take a long time
44
43
46

Don’t know
8
5
3

Refused
1
*
*

Do you have a cell phone, pager or hand-held wireless email, or not?
Yes
65
72

Domestic fliers
Intl fliers

No
35
28

Don’t know
0
0

Refused
0
0

(Asked of total who have a cell phone/pager/hand-held wireless e-mail)
SA-6.
Normally, do you or do you not take any of these with you when you travel by airplane within the
United States?
Take with you
Domestic fliers

82

Do not take
with you
18

Don’t know
0

Refused
0

(Asked of total who have a cell phone/pager/hand-held wireless e-mail)
SA-7.
And do you or do you not take any of these with you when you travel by plane internationally?

Intl
fliers

Take with
you
57

Do not take
with you
43

-2-

Don’t
know
1

Refused
0

SA-8.

a.

If you had been on an airplane with someone who had a highly contagious disease, public health
authorities would want to contact you as quickly as possible. In order to help public health
authorities do this, would you or would you not be willing to do any of the following? First
(INSERT STATEMENT)?
Give your cell phone or pager number or email address to the airline you are flying
with (asked of those who have a cell phone/pager/hand-held wireless email and take it with them in the
following type of flight)
Domestic
fliers
Intl fliers

Willing

Not willing

Don’t know

Refused

83

15

2

0

88

11

1

0

b.

Give the name and telephone number of someone who could be contacted in case of
an emergency if the authorities could not contact you directly
Willing
Not willing
Don’t know
Domestic fliers
93
6
1
Intl fliers
89
10
1
Give the airline you are flying with the addresses and phone numbers of the places
you are going
Willing
Not willing
Don’t know
Domestic fliers
74
24
2
Intl fliers
73
25
2

Refused
*
0

c.

SA-9.

SA-8/9.

Refused
*
0

You said that you would be willing to (LIST Q.8a = 1 MENTIONS). Of these, which one do you
think would be EASIEST for you to provide?
Combo Table

Among those who have a cell
phone/pager/handheld wireless email and
take it with them on the following type of
flight
Domestic fliers
Intl fliers
Among those who do not take such
devices
Domestic fliers
Intl fliers

Give your cell
phone/page
number or e-mail
address to the
airline you are
flying with

Give the name
and telephone
number of
someone who
could be
contacted in case
of emergency

Give the airline you
are flying with the
addresses and
phone number of
the places you are
going

Not
willing
to give
any info

60
NA

30
68

6
23

3
7

2
3

63
NA

29
55

3
26

4
12

3
7

-3-

Don’t
know/
refused

SA-10.

Which of the following would be the easiest way for you to give the airline (INSERT)? Would it be
easiest to give it (READ LIST)?

Easiest way
a.
Your cell phone or pager number or e-mail address (Asked of total who would be willing to give their
cell phone or pager number or e-mail address to the airline they are flying with)
When you
When you check in
When you
When you
At the gate
make your
online from home
check in at
check in at the
before
Don’t
reservation
or office
the kiosk
counter
boarding
know
Refused
Domestic
56
15
3
19
5
1
*
fliers
Intl fliers
50
15
4
24
7
1
0

b.

The name and telephone number of an emergency contact (Asked of total who would be willing to give
the name and telephone number of someone who could be contacted in case of an emergency if
the authorities could not contact them directly)
When you
When you check in
When you
When you
At the gate
make your
online from home
check in at
check in at the
before
Don’t
reservation
or office
the kiosk
counter
boarding
know
Refused
61
12
2
19
3
2
*

Domestic
fliers
Intl fliers

58
c.

Domestic
fliers
Intl fliers

12

3

21

3

4

0

The addresses and telephone numbers of the places your are going (Asked of total who would be willing
to give the airline they are flying with the addresses and phone numbers of the places they are
going)
When you
When you check in
When you
When you
At the gate
make your
online from home
check in at
check in at the
before
Don’t
reservation
or office
the kiosk
counter
boarding
know
Refused
45
15
3
27
9
2
*
48

11

1

32

-4-

6

1

0

SA-10a. Is there another way that would be almost as easy for you?
Second easiest way.
a.

When you
make your
reservation

When you
check in
online from
home or
office

17
19

Domestic
fliers
Intl fliers
b.

When
you
check in
at the
kiosk

When you
check in
at the
counter

At the gate
before
boarding

No
other
way is
easier

Don’t
know

Refused

Didn’t
name
an easy
way

20

8

27

8

15

3

*

1

21

8

25

6

17

4

0

1

The name and telephone number of an emergency contact (Asked of total who would be willing to give
the name and telephone number of someone who could be contacted in case of an emergency if
the authorities could not contact them directly; n = 902)

When you
make your
reservation

When you
check in
online from
home or
office

15

18

7

28

11

17

2

*

3

13

19

5

25

14

19

2

*

4

Do mestic
fliers
Intl fliers
c.

Domestic
fliers
Intl fliers

Your cell phone or pager number or e-mail address (Asked of total who would be willing to give their
cell phone or pager number or e-mail address to the airline they are flying with; n = 299)

When
you
check in
at the
kiosk

When you
check in
at the
counter

At the gate
before
boarding

No
other
way is
easier

Don’t
know

Refused

Didn’t
name
an easy
way

The addresses and telephone numbers of the places your are going (Asked of total who would be willing
to give the airline they are flying with the addresses and phone numbers of the places they are
going; n = 706)

When you
make your
reservation

When you
check in
online from
home or
office

21
20

When
you
check in
at the
kiosk

When you
check in
at the
counter

At the gate
before
boarding

No
other
way is
easier

Don’t
know

Refused

Didn’t
name
an easy
way

14

7

21

11

20

3

*

2

17

8

19

11

21

3

0

1

-5-

(Asked of total who would be willing to choose at least 1 way of giving info to airline)
SA-11.
Would you or would you not still be willing to give this information if it meant it took (INSERT)
longer to make a reservation or to check in?

Domestic
fliers
Intl fliers

SA-12.

Not
willing
to
provide
info
5

Not even
willing at 2
minutes
6

Willing at 2
minutes but
not at 5
minutes
16

Willing at 5
minutes but
not at 10
minutes
34

Willing at
10 minutes
but not at
15 minutes
12

Willing at
15 minutes
27

Don’t
know
1

7

7

19

33

9

24

1

How concerned are you that the privacy of your emergency contact information will not be
protected? Are you very concerned, somewhat concerned, not too concerned, or not concerned at
all?

Domestic
fliers
Intl fliers
SA-13.

Very
concerned
37

Somewhat
concerned
28

Not too
concerned
23

Not at all
concerned
11

Don’t
know
1

Refused

38

30

22

10

*

*

How often do you take domestic flights within the United States—never at all, 1-5 times a year, 6-9
times a year, or 10 times or more a year?
Never at all

Total adults
SA-14.

40

1-5 times a
year
52

6-9 times a
year
4

10 times a
year
2

Don’t
know
1

Refused
1

How often do you take international flights-- never at all, 1-5 times a year, 6-9 times a year, or 10
times or more a year?
Never at all

Total adults

0

77

1-5 times a
year
20

6-9 times a
year
1

-6-

10 times a
year
*

Don’t
know
1

Refused
1