Abstract
The outbreak of the Ebola virus disease (EVD) from 2014 to 2016 is over. However, several outbreaks of contagious diseases have already arisen and will recur. This paper aims to evaluate the effectiveness of EVD prevention promotions in the Gambia and to assess the psychosocial factors that steer three behaviors: handwashing with soap, calling the Ebola Hotline, and not touching a person who might be suffering from EVD. In 2015, data were gathered from 498 primary care providers. The questionnaire was based on psychosocial factors from the risks, attitudes, norms, abilities, and self-regulation (RANAS) model. Three promotional activities were significantly associated with psychosocial factors of handwashing and, thus, with increased handwashing behavior: the home visit, posters, and info sheets. Norm factors, especially the perception of what other people do, had a great impact on handwashing with soap and on calling the Ebola Hotline. The perceived certainty that a behavior will prevent a disease was a predictor for all three protection behaviors. Commitment to the behavior emerged as especially relevant for the intention to call the Ebola Hotline and for not touching a person who might be suffering from EVD. Health behavior change programs should rely on evidence to target the right psychosocial factors and to maximize their effects on prevention behaviors, especially in emergency contexts.
Highlights
During the previous outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in West Africa, 28,646 cases were confirmed, probable, or suspected, and 11,323 deaths were reported [1]
In line with the findings of several knowledge-attitude-practice (KAP) surveys [5,6], we found that health knowledge about Ebola virus disease (EVD) was significantly associated with the intention not to touch someone who might be suffering from EVD
The present study demonstrates that some EVD prevention promotions were associated with the target behavior, and this was because they were associated with the key psychosocial factors steering the behavior
Summary
During the previous outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in West Africa, 28,646 cases were confirmed, probable, or suspected, and 11,323 deaths were reported [1]. The ebola virus disease is a severe illness with a mortality rate between 25% and 90% and an average fatality rate of around. Fruit bats (family Pteropodidae) are considered a reservoir of EVD. They spread the virus to chimpanzees, gorillas, monkeys, and humans. Human-to-human transmission occurs via blood, body fluids, contaminated objects, handling of dead bodies during funerals, and sexual transmission after recovery [2]. Promising effects of an EVD vaccine have recently been confirmed in Guinea [3], outbreaks of contagious diseases, such as the emerging Zika virus disease, will recur
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