Validation of Urban Community Survey Regarding Pandemic Flu Influenza A (H1N1) Using Rasch Measurement Tools Izni Syamsina Saari Universiti Teknologi MARA Melaka, Malaysia Email: izni_syamsina@melaka.uitm.edu.my Zamalia Mahmud and Nik Nairan Abdullah Universiti Teknologi MARA Shah Alam, Malaysia Email: zamalia@tmsk.uitm.edu.my Abstract This has made an attempt to apply the Rasch measurement model in the field of health sciences to validate the response behavioural patterns of local urban community regarding the risk of Pandemic Flu, Influenza A (H1N1). The treatment effectiveness, knowledge, perceived risk, attitude and preventive practices towards HINI. Following this is the investigation of the nature of associations between the binary response patterns (knowledge) and the selected explanatory variables in the study (age, education status, effectiveness, perceived risk and preventive practices towards H1N1). The study used secondary survey data provided by the Department of Population Health and Preventive Medicine (PHPM), Faculty of Medicine, UiTM Shah Alam which were collected from communities residing at two different locations in Selangor, Malaysia. Results from the study show that community with different characteristics or background to some extent have provided true responses displaying moderate degree of knowledge and awareness towards the risk of H1N1. Significant association between knowledge and education status has also been detected. Index Terms: Risk of Influenza A (H1N1), Knowledge, Awareness, Response behaviour, Rasch measurement model, Logistic Regression Model I. INTRODUCTION commonly known as pandemic influenza A (H1N1) [1] is the population [2]. According to World Health Organization (WHO), it started infecting humans in Mexico and spread rapidly into several countries throughout the world. Malaysia is no exception where the first pandemic wave occurred between April and September, 2009. During that time, there was a wide coverage in the mass media on the government efforts and practices on how to control the transmission of pandemic influenza A (H1N1) [1]. The pandemic flu is of great concern to the world community particularly in Malaysia because the public may not be very receptive towards the extent of danger of this disease. Due to the possibility of pandemic influenza A H1N1, majority of the population had taken no action to change their lifestyle [3]. During an infectious Influenza A (H1N1) virus outbreak, personal preventive behaviors are very crucial and any individual should take responsibility for helping control emerging infectious diseases since the disease could spread widely in the community [4]. Effort has been made by several parties including a recent study by [5] which looked at the the extent of public truthful perception towards the Pandemic Flu is yet to be investigated. Hence, this would be the focus of the present study in which public responses towards the items of measurement shall be investigated for its validity and reliability using the Rasch measurement tools. II. LITERATURE REVIEW A. Influenza A (H1N1) It is crucial for individuals to have a good and correct knowledge as it will influence on both attitudes and practices in order to reduce the risk of getting A (H1N1). On the other hand, attitude may not be translated into behavioral changes without sufficient knowledge [6]. Eventhough there is a reduction of H1N1 transmission, education of health is still required [7]. Worldwide, the disease of pandemic A (H1N1) and its spread was increasing rapidly, few of respondents believed they were at high to very high risk of getting A (H1N1). Risk perceptions means perceived seriousness of health treats [8]. In previous study, [9] found perception of risk influences the community behavioral response regarding pandemic influenza. Education status may also play a role on the choice of source for information regarding H1N1. The lower education group preferred television as a source of information and JOURNAL OF EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES IN WEB INTELLIGENCE, VOL. 5, NO. 2, MAY 2013 143 © 2013 ACADEMY PUBLISHER doi:10.4304/jetwi.5.2.143-150