Impact of Ebola experiences and risk perceptions on mental health in Sierra Leone, July 2015

Bibliographic Data

ID23352091
AuthorsMohamed F Jalloh (0000-0002-7206-8042, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, corresponding author), Wenshu Li (0000-0003-1017-471X, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), Rebecca E Bunnell (Division of Global Health Protection, Centers for Global Health, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia, USA), Rebecca Bunnell (0000-0002-4146-4982, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), Kathleen A Ethier (0000-0003-3236-8603, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), Ann O’leary (0000-0001-8129-3121, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), Kathy M Hageman (National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia, USA), Kathy Hageman (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), Paul Sengeh (Emerald Coast Science Center), Mohammad B Jalloh (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), Oliver Morgan (0000-0002-9543-3778, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), Sara Hersey (0000-0002-0154-4339, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), Barbara J Marston (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), Foday Dafae (Ministry of Health and Sanitation), John T Redd (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Year2018
Volume3
Issue2
Pagese000471
Publication date2018-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueBMJ Global Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2059-7908 • E-ISSN: 2059-7908
PublisherBMJ (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1136/bmjgh-2017-000471
PMID29607096
OpenAlexW2792434433
LanguageEN
Citations received98
References cited48

BACKGROUND: The mental health impact of the 2014-2016 Ebola epidemic has been described among survivors, family members and healthcare workers, but little is known about its impact on the general population of affected countries. We assessed symptoms of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the general population in Sierra Leone after over a year of outbreak response. METHODS: We administered a cross-sectional survey in July 2015 to a national sample of 3564 consenting participants selected through multistaged cluster sampling. Symptoms of anxiety and depression were measured by Patient Health Questionnaire-4. PTSD symptoms were measured by six items from the Impact of Events Scale-revised. Relationships among Ebola experience, perceived Ebola threat and mental health symptoms were examined through binary logistic regression. RESULTS: Prevalence of any anxiety-depression symptom was 48% (95% CI 46.8% to 50.0%), and of any PTSD symptom 76% (95% CI 75.0% to 77.8%). In addition, 6% (95% CI 5.4% to 7.0%) met the clinical cut-off for anxiety-depression, 27% (95% CI 25.8% to 28.8%) met levels of clinical concern for PTSD and 16% (95% CI 14.7% to 17.1%) met levels of probable PTSD diagnosis. Factors associated with higher reporting of any symptoms in bivariate analysis included region of residence, experiences with Ebola and perceived Ebola threat. Knowing someone quarantined for Ebola was independently associated with anxiety-depression (adjusted OR (AOR) 2.3, 95% CI 1.7 to 2.9) and PTSD (AOR 2.095% CI 1.5 to 2.8) symptoms. Perceiving Ebola as a threat was independently associated with anxiety-depression (AOR 1.69 95% CI 1.44 to 1.98) and PTSD (AOR 1.86 95% CI 1.56 to 2.21) symptoms. CONCLUSION: Symptoms of PTSD and anxiety-depression were common after one year of Ebola response; psychosocial support may be needed for people with Ebola-related experiences. Preventing, detecting, and responding to mental health conditions should be an important component of global health security efforts.

Anxiety · Cluster (spacecraft) · Cross-sectional study · Depression (economics) · Environmental health · Mental health · Patient Health Questionnaire · Population · Psychiatry · Residence · Sierra leone · Clinical Psychology · COVID-19 and Mental Health · Demography · Medicine · Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research · Viral Infections and Outbreaks Research