TABLE 2. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to Ebola virus disease — Guinea, August 2015.
| Indicator | Response format | Overall* |
Natural regions |
||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | Maritime Guinea† |
Middle Guinea§ |
Upper Guinea¶ |
Forest Guinea** |
||||||
| No. | % (95% CI) | No. | % (95% CI) | No. | % (95% CI) | No. | % (95% CI) | ||||
| Encountered Ebola response teams in the past |
Yes/No/DK |
5,681 |
57 |
2,509 |
72 (69.8–73.3) |
923 |
37 (33.6–39.9) |
1,438 |
47 (44.1–49.3) |
811 |
61 (57.5–64.3) |
|
Perceptions of personal risk for becoming infected with Ebola
| |||||||||||
| No risk |
Yes/No/DK |
5,601 |
44 |
2,476 |
40 (38.4–42.3) |
884 |
42 (39.2–45.8) |
1,433 |
50 (47.6–52.8) |
808 |
51 (47.4–54.4) |
| Low risk |
27 |
2,476 |
23 (21.7–25.0) |
884 |
30 (24.1–30.0) |
1,433 |
28 (25.6–30.3) |
808 |
35 (32.0–38.7) |
||
| High risk |
15 |
2,476 |
25 (23.4–26.9) |
884 |
9 (7.2–11.1) |
1,433 |
8 (7.0–9.9) |
808 |
5 (3.9–7.2) |
||
| Don’t know/Not sure |
14 |
2,476 |
11 (10.1–12.6) |
884 |
22 (19.1–24.6) |
1,433 |
14 (11.8–15.5) |
808 |
9 (6.8–10.7) |
||
|
Knowledge and perceptions about Ebola prevention and treatment
| |||||||||||
| Preventable by avoiding contact with body fluids of infected persons |
Yes/No/DK |
5,715 |
92 |
2,526 |
91 (89.8–92.0) |
925 |
94 (92.0–95.2) |
1,440 |
94 (92.9–95.3) |
824 |
89 (86.6–91.0) |
| Preventable by avoiding contact with corpse of persons who died from Ebola |
5,708 |
87 |
2,524 |
86 (84.2–87.0) |
922 |
93 (90.1–94.4) |
1,440 |
87 (85.1–88.5) |
822 |
83 (80.2–85.4) |
|
| Immediate treatment in health facility increases chance of survival |
5,704 |
86 |
2,526 |
89 (87.6–90.0) |
923 |
88 (85.5–89.7) |
1,438 |
84 (82.0–85.8) |
817 |
78 (75.4–81.0) |
|
| Immediate treatment in health facility reduces chance of Ebola spread |
5,698 |
88 |
2,518 |
90 (88.4–90.8) |
925 |
92 (89.7–93.3) |
1,439 |
86 (84.4–88.0) |
816 |
79 (76.1–81.7) |
|
| Male survivors should use condoms for at least 3 months to prevent sexual transmission†† |
5,237 |
46 |
2,396 |
44 (42.4–46.4) |
746 |
39 (35.4–42.4) |
1,341 |
49 (45.8–51.2) |
754 |
57 (53.1–60.1) |
|
|
Misconceptions about Ebola transmission, prevention, and treatment
| |||||||||||
| Transmissible by ambient air |
Yes/No/DK |
5,695 |
27 |
2,514 |
24 (22.6–26.0) |
924 |
31 (27.6–33.6) |
1,438 |
34 (31.5–36.3) |
819 |
17 (14.1–19.1) |
| Can protect self from Ebola by avoiding mosquito bites |
5,705 |
49 |
2,523 |
44 (42.3–46.1) |
925 |
42 (39.0–45.4) |
1,439 |
66 (63.8–68.6) |
818 |
38 (35.1–41.7) |
|
| Preventable by bathing with salt and hot water |
5,695 |
22 |
2,522 |
18 (16.6–19.6) |
924 |
25 (22.1–27.7) |
1,437 |
29 (26.6–31.2) |
812 |
12 (9.5–13.9) |
|
| Can be successfully treated by spiritual or traditional healers |
5,693 |
5 |
2,517 |
3 (2.7–4.1) |
924 |
6 (4.6–7.8) |
1,439 |
5 (3.9–6.1) |
813 |
7 (5.1–8.5) |
|
|
Prevention practices used after learning about Ebola
| |||||||||||
| Took some action to avoid Ebola infection |
Yes/No/DK |
5,537 |
95 |
2,452 |
97 (96.0–97.4) |
900 |
93 (91.7–94.9) |
1,407 |
92 (90.0–93.0) |
778 |
95 (93.9–96.9) |
| Washed hands with soap and water more often |
Open-ended, unprompted |
5,240 |
93 |
2,370 |
94 (92.9–94.9) |
840 |
91 (88.8–92.8) |
1,288 |
94 (92.5–95.1) |
742 |
95 (93.4–96.6) |
| Avoided all physical contact with those suspected of having Ebola |
5,240 |
44 |
2,370 |
48 (46.1–50.1) |
840 |
41 (37.4–44.0) |
1,288 |
40 (36.8–42.2) |
742 |
46 (42.2–49.4) |
|
| Avoided crowded places |
5,240 |
22 |
2,370 |
24 (22.0–25.4) |
840 |
16 (13.8–18.8) |
1,288 |
27 (25.0–29.8) |
742 |
13 (10.9–15.7) |
|
|
Intentions if family member suspected of having Ebola
| |||||||||||
| Would send family member to an Ebola treatment center |
Yes/No/DK |
5,733 |
91 |
2,538 |
93 (92.1–94.1) |
926 |
94 (92.2–95.4) |
1,442 |
88 (86.2–89.6) |
827 |
87 (84.6–89.2) |
| Would hide the family member from neighbors and health authorities |
5,520 |
4 |
2,426 |
3 (2.5–3.9) |
909 |
3 (2.1–4.5) |
1,404 |
5 (3.6–5.8) |
781 |
2 (1.3–3.5) |
|
|
Attitudes toward Ebola survivors§§
| |||||||||||
| Survivors certified to be cured of Ebola could infect others through casual contact (e.g., hugging or shaking hands) |
Yes/No/DK |
4,637 |
17 |
2,093 |
13 (11.1–13.9) |
768 |
25 (22.2–28.4) |
1,135 |
21 (18.2–22.8) |
641 |
12 (9.2–14.2) |
| Would not buy fresh vegetables from survivor certified by government to be cured of Ebola |
5,417 |
28 |
2,367 |
21 (18.9–22.1) |
903 |
40 (36.3–42.7) |
1,372 |
36 (33.5–38.5) |
775 |
16 (13.5–18.7) |
|
| Would not welcome survivor declared to be cured of Ebola back into community |
5,468 |
19 |
2,402 |
14 (12.9–15.7) |
911 |
26 (22.8–28.4) |
1,365 |
28 (25.1–29.9) |
790 |
6 (4.5–7.9) |
|
| Expressed one or more of the above attitudes toward Ebola survivors¶¶ |
Composite |
5,029 |
44 |
2,203 |
35 (32.5–36.5) |
871 |
58 (54.3–60.9) |
1,283 |
55 (52.6–58.0) |
672 |
30 (26.4–33.4) |
| Possible to survive and recover from Ebola |
Yes/No/DK |
5,703 |
72 |
2,523 |
81 (79.8–82.8) |
925 |
74 (70.7–76.3) |
1,437 |
58 (55.0–60.2) |
818 |
69 (65.3–71.7) |
| Survivors could contribute to Ebola containment efforts |
4,957 |
91 |
2,167 |
93 (92.2–94.4) |
820 |
92 (90.5–94.1) |
1,225 |
84 (81.9–86.1) |
736 |
96 (94.8–97.6) |
|
| Survivors could educate community members about Ebola prevention |
Open-ended, unprompted |
4,516 |
62 |
2,022 |
58 (55.8–60.2) |
757 |
60 (56.1–63.1) |
1,029 |
63 (59.8–65.8) |
708 |
71 (67.5–74.1) |
| Survivors could help care for persons suspected of having Ebola |
4,516 |
37 |
2,022 |
46 (44.0–48.4) |
757 |
35 (31.1–37.9) |
1,029 |
39 (36.2–42.2) |
708 |
18 (15.4–21.0) |
|
|
Intentions if family member died at home
| |||||||||||
| Would wash or touch body if family member died |
Yes/No/DK |
5,460 |
8 |
2,416 |
5 (4.0–5.8) |
870 |
11 (8.7–12.9) |
1,403 |
8 (6.7–9.5) |
771 |
10 (7.5–11.7) |
| Would wash or touch body if family member died of suspected Ebola |
5,512 |
3 |
2,437 |
3 (2.7–4.1) |
889 |
3 (2.0–4.2) |
1,406 |
4 (2.5–4.5) |
780 |
3 (2.0–4.6) |
|
| Would accept burial team if family member died of suspected Ebola |
5,344 |
89 |
2,346 |
89 (88.0–90.6) |
878 |
92 (90.6–94.2) |
1,371 |
83 (81.0–85.0) |
749 |
91 (88.8–93.0) |
|
| Would accept alternatives to traditional burials that do not involve physical contact with corpse if family member died of any cause |
4,897 |
72 |
2,106 |
76 (74.4–78.0) |
800 |
84 (81.4–86.4) |
1,297 |
65 (61.9–67.1) |
694 |
57 (53.4–60.8) |
|
| Observe burial from safe distance |
Open-ended, unprompted |
3,509 |
66 |
1,605 |
65 (62.8–67.4) |
671 |
38 (34.3–41.7) |
837 |
83 (80.5–85.5) |
396 |
90 (87.5–93.3) |
| Have religious leader say a final prayer |
3,509 |
54 |
1,605 |
67 (64.9–69.5) |
671 |
54 (50.0–57.6) |
837 |
34 (30.6–37.0) |
396 |
58 (53.2–63.0) |
|
| Know the location of the burial site |
3,509 |
22 |
1,605 |
21 (18.6-22.6) |
671 |
11 (8.4–13.0) |
837 |
18 (15.7–20.9) |
396 |
66 (61.0–70.4) |
|
| Provide a name plate at the burial site |
3,509 |
8 |
1,605 |
4 (3.0–5.0) |
671 |
3 (1.6–4.0) |
837 |
11 (8.5–12.7) |
396 |
28 (23.1–31.9) |
|
|
Self-reported burial practices within past month of interview (for persons dying of any cause)
| |||||||||||
| Participated in any burial ceremony in the past month: |
Yes/No |
5,532 |
20 |
2457 |
18 (16.0–19.0) |
897 |
31 (27.5–33.5) |
1,411 |
17 (14.8–18.8) |
767 |
18 (15.6–21.0) |
| Washed the corpse |
Open-ended, unprompted | 1,082 |
6 |
431 |
1 (0.3–2.5) |
274 |
3 (0.9–4.9) |
237 |
5 (2.3–7.9) |
140 |
16 (9.7–21.7) |
| Touched the corpse |
1,082 |
4 |
431 |
4 (1.8–5.2) |
274 |
5 (2.5–7.7) |
237 |
5 (2.3–7.9) |
140 |
19 (12.2–25.0) |
|
| Touched others at the burial ceremony (e.g., hug, handshake) |
1,082 |
26 |
431 |
13 (9.4–15.6) |
274 |
44 (38.3–50.1) |
237 |
21 (15.5–25.9) |
140 |
33 (25.1–40.7) |
|
| Cried over the corpse but did not touch it | 1,082 | 27 | 431 | 17 (13.2–20.2) | 274 | 30 (24.9–35.7) | 237 | 42 (35.9–48.5) | 140 | 22 (15.2–29.0) | |
Abbreviations: CI = confidence interval; DK = don’t know.
* Weighted percentages based on poststratification adjustments with probability proportional to population size of the participant’s administrative region.
† As of August 2015, Maritime Guinea reported the total highest number of Ebola cases; all of its prefectures had reported cases, and it was the only natural region with active transmission (in Conakry and Forécariah prefectures) at the time of data collection.
§ As of August 2015, Middle Guinea was the region least affected by Ebola, and six of the 10 prefectures had never reported Ebola cases.
¶ As of August 2015, Upper Guinea had experienced low numbers of Ebola cases, and two of the eight prefectures had never reported Ebola cases.
** As of August 2015, Forest Guinea had no active transmission. However, it reported the first Ebola cases of the epidemic and eventually reported cases in all six prefectures.
†† Proportions of eligible participants who did not respond or replied “don’t know” were as high as 51.2% in Middle Guinea, 44.5% in Maritime Guinea, 41.4% in Guinea Upper, and 38.2% in Forest Guinea. These participants were not excluded from denominators when calculating percentages.
§§ Ebola survivors were defined as persons previously infected with Ebola who had been discharged from an Ebola Treatment Center and certified by government health officials to have been cured of the disease.
¶¶ Expressed one or more of the following attitudes about Ebola survivors: 1) survivors certified to be cured of Ebola could infect others through casual contact, 2) would not buy fresh vegetables from survivor certified by government to be cured of Ebola, and 3) would not welcome back into community a survivor declared to be cured of Ebola.