Respiratory syncytial virus knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions among adults in the United States

ABSTRACT

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality among older adults (aged ≥60 years) and adults with certain chronic conditions in the United States (US). Despite this burden, no previous studies have assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions (KAP) of RSV among these populations. This study evaluates RSV-related KAP among US adults at increased risk of severe RSV infection. A cross-sectional, web-based survey was administered from May to June 2022 to better understand respiratory infection- and RSV-related KAP among US adults who are at risk of severe RSV infection. The survey included ≥200 adults in each of 4 subgroups: adults aged 60–89 years, and adults aged 18–59 years with ≥1 chronic cardiovascular condition, chronic pulmonary condition, or diabetes mellitus. Survey responses were analyzed descriptively overall and by subgroup, with exploratory logistic regression modeling used to evaluate characteristics associated with RSV awareness and concern. Among the 827 survey respondents, only 43.3% had ever heard of RSV (n = 358/827). The study identified key knowledge gaps (e.g. bacterial vs. viral nature of respiratory infections, RSV seasonality, common RSV symptoms, extent to which RSV causes respiratory infections in specific patient populations). Although 33.7% of RSV-aware adults (n = 120/356) reported being worried/very worried about RSV, 67.3% (n = 241/358) rarely consider RSV as a potential cause of their cold/flu-like symptoms. Results from this study highlight important knowledge gaps related to RSV, perceived risk, and severity of RSV. Findings can be used to support the development of tailored education efforts to support RSV prevention.

Plain Language Summary

What is the context?

• Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common cause of illness among older adults (60 years and older) and adults with certain chronic conditions in the United States (US), with some adults experiencing severe RSV outcomes such as hospitalization or death.

• Despite this considerable burden, the awareness of RSV among these at-risk populations has never been studied until now.

What is new?

• We assessed RSV-related knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions among US adults at increased risk of severe RSV infection (adults aged 60–89 years and adults aged 18–59 years with ≥1 chronic cardiovascular condition, chronic pulmonary condition, or diabetes).

• Among older and at-risk adults, 43.3% had ever heard of RSV, with a lower awareness in the older adult subgroup.

• Among adults at increased risk of severe RSV who are aware of RSV, less than 35% consider themselves to be knowledgeable about RSV and 16–19% were unable to assess their perceived risk of contracting RSV or potential severity of RSV should they contract it.

• Knowledge gaps specific to RSV include the viral nature of RSV, its seasonality, symptoms, extent to which it causes respiratory infections in specific patient populations, the difficulty distinguishing RSV from other respiratory infections based on symptoms alone, and the limited testing for RSV in routine clinical practice.

What is the impact?

• Two RSV vaccines were recently approved in the US and are recommended for the prevention of RSV among adults aged 60 years and older with shared clinical decision making.

• Results from this study reveal limited awareness of RSV among adults in the US at increased risk of severe RSV and knowledge gaps among those aware of RSV.

• These findings can be used by healthcare providers initiating shared clinical decision-making conversations with their patients aged 60 years and older who are eligible for RSV vaccination, as well as to tailor RSV disease awareness educational interventions to healthcare providers and patients.

KEYWORDS:

• RSV
• knowledge
• attitudes
• perceptions
• risk groups

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Audrey Colliou and Kajan Gnanasakthy for their study support. The authors would also like to thank Business & Decision Life Sciences Medical Communication Service Center for editorial assistance and manuscript coordination, on behalf of GSK. Amandine Radziejwoski, on behalf of GSK, provided writing support.

Disclosure statement

Elizabeth La and Sara Poston are employed by and hold shares in GSK. Lauriane Harrington is employed by GSK. Su Bunniran, Diana Garbinsky, Maria Reynolds, and Phil Schwab are employees of RTI Health Solutions, which received funding from GSK for the conduct of this study. Su Bunniran is part of the community advisory board of the University of Mississippi. All authors declare no other financial or non-financial relationships and activities and no other conflicts of interest.

Data availability statement

The model used in this study is proprietary property of GSK and is not able to be shared.

Author contributions

Phil Schwab participated in the interpretation of study results and development of this manuscript. All other authors participated in the design, implementation, and/or analysis, as well as the interpretation of study results and the development of this manuscript. All authors had full access to the data and gave final approval before submission.

Ethics approval statement

All authors agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved. The work described was carried out in accordance with the recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors for conduct, reporting, editing, and publication of scholarly work in medical journals.

Supplementary data

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed on the publisher’s website at https://doi.org/10.1080/21645515.2024.2303796.

Sponsor’s role

GSK funded this study (GSK study identifier: 218693/HE-RSV-004 BOD) and was involved in all stages of study conduct, including analysis of the data. GSK also took in charge all costs associated with the development and publication of this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by GSK.