OBJECTIVETo explore the awareness on sever acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and public health emergencies among general publics.

METHODSA cluster sampling method was implemented in Harbin and Jiagedaqi district of Daxinanling of Heilongjiang province. Research subjects were divided into three groups as city, township and rural areas and were given questionnaires to fill in. Data was analyzed with Epi-data and SPSS.

RESULTS2003 available questionnaires were collected. The general publics well understood the knowledge on public health emergencies and the SARS with the whole recognition rate more than 60 percent. During the epidemics, people in city, town and countryside were calm (71.7%). The rates of attitude towards the government were significantly different among the subjects living with the city, town or rural areas. The city group expressed the highest favor to the government and media, 71.8% of them gave the credit on the control of SARS to the effective method taken by the government and 65.0% of them showed that they had enough confidence on the governmental ability of dealing with crises while the countryside group trusted the hospitals and relative specialists the most.

CONCLUSIONIt is essential for the government to interact and communicate with the publics through media, medical and related institutions when confronting with the public health emergencies. Publicity on health knowledge and coping system on emergency should play key roles in the development of an effective public health system while the government should lead the battle.