Less Than Half of American Adults Know Dangers of Raw Milk
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com.
By Carole Tanzer Miller HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, July 10, 2024 -- Few Americans understand the health risks of drinking raw milk, a new survey shows, so experts are redoubling efforts to get the word out on its dangers.
The push dovetails with the discovery this spring of bird flu virus in milk from infected cows. The H5N1 virus is widespread in wild birds worldwide and causing outbreaks in poultry and U.S. dairy cows. As of June 21, four human cases of the H5N1 flu had been reported in the United States.
"It is important that anyone planning to consume raw milk be aware that doing so can make you sick and that pasteurization reduces the risk of milk-borne illnesses," said Patrick Jamieson, director of the Annenberg Health and Risk Communication Institute at the University of Pennsylvania.
Milk from cows, sheep, goats and other animals that has not been pasteurized to kill harmful germs is called raw or unpasteurized. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says consuming unpasteurized milk and products made from it can expose people to germs such as E. coli, listeria and salmonella.
While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says the commercial milk supply -- which is pasteurized -- is safe from the H5N1 virus, raw milk is another story.
In June, before the four human cases of bird flu were reported, the Annenberg Institute surveyed 1,031 American adults online and by phone to gauge their knowledge about the risks associated with unpasteurized milk.
While 47% of respondents knew that raw milk is less safe to drink, 24% either wrongly believed that pasteurizing milk does not effectively kill bacteria and viruses or were unsure whether it does.
Respondents who were 65 or older, college-educated or who lean Democrat were more likely to understand the benefits of pasteurization and to believe that it does not destroy nutrients in milk. City dwellers were more likely to consider raw milk less safe, compared to rural counterparts (49% versus 32%).
Meanwhile, only 4 in 10 Republicans (37%) said they believe raw milk is less safe than pasteurized.
"The difference in views of raw milk that we see between Democrats and Republicans is difficult to disentangle from the difference between rural and urban dwellers," said Kathleen Hall Jamieson, director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center, said in a center news release. "Those in rural areas are both more likely to identify as Republicans and to consume raw milk."
A separate analysis showed that where one lives does not predict beliefs about pasteurization. Still, many Americans have misguided notions about it.
Fewer than half (43%) knew that pasteurization "does not destroy nutrients" in milk; 16% think it does and 41% were unsure.
Interestingly, 18- to 29-year-olds were more likely than seniors to believe pasteurizing milk destroys nutrients (25% versus 5%), and Republicans were much more likely to believe that than Democrats (23% versus 8%).
The survey was conducted June 7-10 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
Sources
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
Source: HealthDay
Posted : 2024-07-10 23:15
Read more
- Why Do We Dream?
- 8 Tips to Add Mindfulness to Your Mealtime
- Cardamom-Spiced Peach and Blackberry Crumble
- Vericel Announces FDA Approval of NexoBrid for the Treatment of Pediatric Patients with Severe Thermal Burns
- A Realistic Guide to Safer Sex During COVID-19
- Likelihood of Dementia Getting Diagnosed Varies Widely Across U.S.
Disclaimer
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.
The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
Popular Keywords
- metformin obat apa
- alahan panjang
- glimepiride obat apa
- takikardia adalah
- erau ernie
- pradiabetes
- besar88
- atrofi adalah
- kutu anjing
- trakeostomi
- mayzent pi
- enbrel auto injector not working
- enbrel interactions
- lenvima life expectancy
- leqvio pi
- what is lenvima
- lenvima pi
- empagliflozin-linagliptin
- encourage foundation for enbrel
- qulipta drug interactions