Comparing how information source and trust influence risk perception about Ebola in Ghana and Liberia.

Abstract

The increasing occurrence of diseases across geographical borders creates a need to understand how information source preferences and trust in those sources influence risk perception across contexts. However, cross-context studies about information sources are not common in health communication and promotion scholarship. Using a survey, the research team compared how information sources, perceived usefulness of Ebola information, interpersonal and social trust and context influence risk perception and self-efficacy in an Ebola-affected (Liberia) and -unaffected (Ghana) country. Respondents from the unaffected country trusted the information they received significantly more and had higher levels of interpersonal and social trust than respondents from the affected country. These findings reinforce the use of community health workers as channels to support behavior and social change-focused programs, particularly in crisis situations, in addition to other information channels and sources.