Knowledge and misconceptions related to the Ebola Virus Disease among adults in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: The venomous snake under the table of prevention
| Autor: | Daniel Derivois, Jacqueline Bukaka, Jude Mary Cénat, Oléa Balayulu-Makila, Cécile Rousseau, Rose Darly Dalexis, Jean-Pierre Birangui |
|---|---|
| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Rok vydání: | 2021 |
| Předmět: |
medicine.medical_specialty
Ebola virus business.industry Health Policy media_common.quotation_subject Prevention Practices and misconceptions Public Health Environmental and Occupational Health Outbreak Ebola virus disease Disease medicine.disease_cause Democracy World health Knowledge Family medicine Culturally sensitive Medicine Lack of knowledge Christian ministry Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270 business media_common |
| Zdroj: | Public Health in Practice, Vol 2, Iss, Pp 100178-(2021) |
| ISSN: | 2666-5352 |
| Popis: | Objectives On July 24, the Ministry of Health of the Democratic Republic of the Congo declared the end of the 2018 Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in the Equateur Province. Conducted seven months after, this study aimed to examine knowledge and misconceptions related to EVD in a representative sample of affected communities in order to develop evidence-based prevention programs. Study design Cross-sectional study with a two-stratified representative sample. Methods A sample of 1,614 participants (50% of women) was recruited between March and April 2019 in the three affected health zones. Participants completed a questionnaire assessing knowledge, perception, practices and misconceptions related to EVD. Results One-third of the 1,614 participants did not know that EVD is transmitted through bodily fluids of infected people. Only 39.85% and 45.99% were aware that EVD cannot be transmitted through air and mosquitoes. Only 44.93% declared a salty and hot bath cannot prevent EVD; and only 43.78% answered that spiritual or traditional healers cannot cure EVD. Results also indicated that although participants with high levels of education had more knowledge of EVD, they did not differ significantly from less educated ones for misconceptions. Hierarchical linear regression models showed interactions of sociodemographic characteristics that predicted EVD knowledge. Conclusions The pervasive lack of knowledge, misconceptions and attitudes related to EVD constitute a major concern for prevention. Instead of basing awareness programs on the fear of EVD, health authorities, World Health Organization and NGOs should co-develop culturally sensitive and inclusive community evidence-based programs to educate the populations. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
| Externí odkaz: |
|