System disruptions
We are currently experiencing disruptions on the search portals due to high traffic. We are working to resolve the issue, you may temporarily encounter an error message.
Change search
CiteExportLink to record
Permanent link

Direct link
Cite
Citation style
  • apa
  • ieee
  • modern-language-association-8th-edition
  • vancouver
  • Other style
More styles
Language
  • de-DE
  • en-GB
  • en-US
  • fi-FI
  • nn-NO
  • nn-NB
  • sv-SE
  • Other locale
More languages
Output format
  • html
  • text
  • asciidoc
  • rtf
Risk perception during the 2014-2015 Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone
Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Tomtebodavägen 18A, Stockholm, 17717, Sweden.
Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Tomtebodavägen 18A, Stockholm, 17717, Sweden.
FOCUS1000, Freetown, Sierra Leone.
FOCUS1000, Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Show others and affiliations
2020 (English)In: BMC Public Health, E-ISSN 1471-2458, Vol. 20, no 1, article id 1539Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Background: Perceived susceptibility to a disease threat (risk perception) can influence protective behaviour. This study aims to determine how exposure to information sources, knowledge and behaviours potentially influenced risk perceptions during the 2014-2015 Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in Sierra Leone. Methods: The study is based on three cross-sectional, national surveys (August 2014, n = 1413; October 2014, n = 2086; December 2014, n = 3540) that measured Ebola-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices in Sierra Leone. Data were pooled and composite variables were created for knowledge, misconceptions and three Ebola-specific behaviours. Risk perception was measured using a Likert-item and dichotomised into 'no risk perception' and 'some risk perception'. Exposure to five information sources was dichotomised into a binary variable for exposed and unexposed. Multilevel logistic regression models were fitted to examine various associations. Results: Exposure to new media (e.g. internet) and community-level information sources (e.g. religious leaders) were positively associated with expressing risk perception. Ebola-specific knowledge and hand washing were positively associated with expressing risk perception (Adjusted OR [AOR] 1.4, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 1.2-1.8 and AOR 1.4, 95% CI 1.1-1.7 respectively), whereas misconceptions and avoiding burials were negatively associated with risk perception, (AOR 0.7, 95% CI 0.6-0.8 and AOR 0.8, 95% CI 06-1.0, respectively). Conclusions: Our results illustrate the complexity of how individuals perceived their Ebola acquisition risk based on the way they received information, what they knew about Ebola, and actions they took to protect themselves. Community-level information sources may help to align the public's perceived risk with their actual epidemiological risk. As part of global health security efforts, increased investments are needed for community-level engagements that allow for two-way communication during health emergencies.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
BioMed Central, 2020. Vol. 20, no 1, article id 1539
Keywords [en]
Ebola, Epidemic, Epidemiology, Global health, Infectious diseases, Risk perception
National Category
Public Health, Global Health and Social Medicine Probability Theory and Statistics
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-50870DOI: 10.1186/s12889-020-09648-8ISI: 000582367900005PubMedID: 33046052Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85092575222Local ID: GOA;intsam;1479173OAI: oai:DiVA.org:hj-50870DiVA, id: diva2:1479173
Funder
Swedish Research Council, 2017-05581Available from: 2020-10-26 Created: 2020-10-26 Last updated: 2025-02-20Bibliographically approved

Open Access in DiVA

No full text in DiVA

Other links

Publisher's full textPubMedScopus

Authority records

Zeebari, Zangin

Search in DiVA

By author/editor
Zeebari, Zangin
By organisation
JIBS, Statistics
In the same journal
BMC Public Health
Public Health, Global Health and Social MedicineProbability Theory and Statistics

Search outside of DiVA

GoogleGoogle Scholar

doi
pubmed
urn-nbn

Altmetric score

doi
pubmed
urn-nbn
Total: 253 hits
CiteExportLink to record
Permanent link

Direct link
Cite
Citation style
  • apa
  • ieee
  • modern-language-association-8th-edition
  • vancouver
  • Other style
More styles
Language
  • de-DE
  • en-GB
  • en-US
  • fi-FI
  • nn-NO
  • nn-NB
  • sv-SE
  • Other locale
More languages
Output format
  • html
  • text
  • asciidoc
  • rtf