Abstract
After the first secondarily-transmitted ebola case in Spain, a wave of divergent opinions flooded mass and sanitary media. Very few of these opinions, however, came from experts on epidemiology or hemorrhagic fevers. This observational study aimed to assess the specific knowledge of Primary Care physicians and nurses about ebola and hemorrhagic fevers by means of analyzing the results obtained from a 5-item self-reported questionnaire dealing on hemorrhagic fevers basic knowledge. Validity and reliability of questionnaire were confirmed by a pilot study. The participants were 138 family doctors and nurses from the 64 public Primary Care centers sited in the North Metropolitan Area of Barcelona (1,400,000 inhab; Catalonia, Spain) taking part in training-the-trainers ebola workshops. Overall, there were 117 (84.8%) respondents out from 138 workshop participants; of them were physicians 61 (51.2%). The main age was 46.7 (8.8) years; stating previous specific knowledge on hemorrhagic fevers 39 (33.3%). On the whole, up to 92 (78.6%) of respondents shown a poor knowledge. Previous specific formation was significantly and independently associated with having proper knowledge (p < 0.001); OR = 8.6 (CI 95%: 3.199 - 23.623). In summary, confusion that accompanied the single secondary-transmitted ebola case in Spain could probably be explained by the existence of a serious gap on hemorrhagic fevers knowledge. More accurate, scientific and formally-presented information should be provided to Primary Care physicians and nurses.
Highlights
In 2014, October 7th a Spanish nurse attending an ebola-repatriated missionary from Sierra Leone became the first ebola secondarily-transmitted case outside Africa
An observational study aiming to determine which are the basic knowledge on haemorrhagic fevers (HF) among Primary Care physicians and nurses was designed by means of a 5-item self-reported questionnaire (Figure 1)
Question 1 regarded with previous specific formal-acquired knowledge either during pre or post-degree studies; the other four questions dealt with epidemiological and clinical aspects of HF
Summary
In 2014, October 7th a Spanish nurse attending an ebola-repatriated missionary from Sierra Leone became the first ebola secondarily-transmitted case outside Africa. The alarm that caused this first European-transmitted ebola case prevented orderly develop the designed Ebola National Response Plan [2]. Frontline nurses and physicians should understand clinical and epidemiological key aspects of ebola and other HF. This comprehension can facilitate a quickly recognizing of imported cases, and it could be argued that a clear understanding of the clinical course and transmission risk (very low during the early stages) can facilitate reduce anxieties and allow providing the proper and better medical care to suspected patients [3]
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