In a previous study, the role of concern for self and family was a key factor associated with likely compliance with protective health behaviours [25] . This suggests the benefit of risk communication messages that strategically heighten and then utilise public concern when a pandemic has or is likely to occur to increase compliance behaviours. For example, risk communication strategies could selectively target sub-population for whom risk beliefs are particularly low; in the current study these groups are urban populations and populations with good self-rated health. However, some authors have cautioned that increasing the risk perception of the population through such strategies risks societal estrangement and may frighten health care workers, first responders, and those who would have contact with the public in the event of a pandemic [26] . When consensus is reached regarding the optimal level of risk perception required for specific populations to elicit appropriate protective responses, the results of this study may be useful to guide which population groups these artificially inflating or deflating risk communication messages should be targeted.