Abstract
Objectives
The Ebola epidemic has received extensive media coverage since the first diagnosed cases of the virus in the US. We investigated risk perceptions of Ebola among individuals living in the US and measured their knowledge of the virus.
Method
US residents completed an online survey (conducted 14–18 November 2014) that assessed their Ebola knowledge and risk perceptions.
Results
Respondents who were more knowledgeable of Ebola perceived less risk of contracting the virus and were less worried about the virus, but also regarded Ebola as more serious than less knowledgeable respondents. The internet served as a major source of additional information among knowledgeable respondents.
Conclusion
The findings suggest that the provision of health information about Ebola may be effective in informing the public about Ebola risks and of preventive measures without curtailing the seriousness of the virus. Policymakers may seek to further exploit the internet as a means of delivering information about Ebola in the US and worldwide.
The Ebola epidemic has received extensive media coverage since the first diagnosed cases of the virus in the US. We investigated risk perceptions of Ebola among individuals living in the US and measured their knowledge of the virus.
Method
US residents completed an online survey (conducted 14–18 November 2014) that assessed their Ebola knowledge and risk perceptions.
Results
Respondents who were more knowledgeable of Ebola perceived less risk of contracting the virus and were less worried about the virus, but also regarded Ebola as more serious than less knowledgeable respondents. The internet served as a major source of additional information among knowledgeable respondents.
Conclusion
The findings suggest that the provision of health information about Ebola may be effective in informing the public about Ebola risks and of preventive measures without curtailing the seriousness of the virus. Policymakers may seek to further exploit the internet as a means of delivering information about Ebola in the US and worldwide.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 262-264 |
| Number of pages | 3 |
| Journal | Preventive Medicine Reports |
| Volume | 2 |
| Early online date | 16 Apr 2015 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2015 |
Keywords
- Ebola virus; Health risk appraisal; Health knowledge; Attitudes; Practice; Disease outbreaks
Access to Document
- Knowledge and risk perceptions of the Ebola virus in the United States
© 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)which permits distribution and reproduction for non-commercial purposes, provided the author and source are cited.
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Knowledge and risk perceptions of the Ebola virus in the United States
Rolison, J. (Creator), Queen's University Belfast, 05 Jun 2015
DOI: 10.17034/6c874d4d-e920-4cbc-ba44-699087f1f037
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