Very few studies have highlighted the importance of laypersons’ perceptions concerning common cold and influenza, their symptomatic differences and considerations of risk. The present study explored the knowledge of pathogenesis across three developed countries and extracted a knowledge base from which appropriate prevention and treatment recommendations can be made.

The study included semi-structured face-to-face interviews with 85 participants from three countries and recorded their experiences, perceptions and risk considerations in terms of common cold and influenza. A qualitative thematic content analysis was conducted.

The outcome identified three main themes including common cold as insignificant with individualistic symptoms; influenza as primarily distinguishable by fever, confinement to bed and severity of symptoms, however, depiction about onset and duration were diverse; and views on pathogenesis composed of references to disease causing agents and circumstances. In nutshell, the author reported that risk perception was dependent chiefly on personal experience and risk appeared to be moderate for both diseases.

The study concluded that recruited participants had good knowledge of symptoms, alterations and pathogenesis of common cold and influenza; however, clarifications integrated misconceptions, such as misinterpretation of fever, disease continuums, diverse onset ideas etc. Perceptions were mainly dependent on lived experiences, and health care professionals should focus more on the interventions for prevention and treatment. Basic consultations, awareness raising activities and other knowledge disseminations strategies should consider communicableness and the self-limiting nature of both diseases.

Thus, an informed elucidation of both infectious diseases is highly important which may also help in improving influenza vaccination coverage in these countries successfully.

Source: Mayrhuber EA, Peersman W, van de Kraats N, Petricek G, Ćosić Diviak A, Wojczewski S, Hoffmann K. "With fever its the real flu I would say": laypersons perception of common cold and influenza and their differences - a qualitative study in Austria, Belgium and Croatia. BMC Infect Dis. 2018 Dec 12;18(1):647.