Table 1. Questionnaire, Ebola knowledge, attitude and prevention practice surveys, Sierra Leone, 2014–2015.
| Domain and measure | Item | Response options | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knowledge | |||
| 1. Ebola is preventable by avoiding contact with a corpse | Can I prevent myself from getting Ebola by avoiding funeral or burial rituals that require handling the body of someone who has died from Ebola? | Yes, no or don’t know/not sure | Prompted, single response only |
| 2. Early medical care of Ebola increases the chance of survival | If a person has Ebola has he/she a higher chance of survival if he/she goes immediately to a health facility? | Yes, no or don’t know/not sure | Prompted, single response only |
| 3. Early medical care of Ebola reduces household transmission | If a person with Ebola goes immediately to a health facility will he/she reduce the chance of spreading it to their family or people living with them? | Yes, no or don’t know/not sure | Prompted, single response only |
| Misconception | |||
| 4. Bathing with salt and hot water prevents Ebola | Can I prevent myself from getting Ebola by bathing with salt and hot water? | Yes, no or don’t know/not sure | Prompted, single response only |
| 5. Spiritual healers can successfully treat Ebola | Do you believe that spiritual healers can treat Ebola successfully? | Yes, no or don’t know/not sure | Prompted, single response only |
| 6. Traditional healers can successfully treat Ebola | Do you believe that traditional healers can treat Ebola successfully? | Yes, no or don’t know/not sure | Prompted, single response only |
| Social acceptance of survivors | |||
| 7. Would welcome back Ebola survivor into the community | Would you welcome someone back into your community/neighbourhood after he/she has recovered from Ebola? | Yes, no or don’t know/not sure | Prompted, single response only |
| 8. Would buy fresh vegetables from Ebola survivor shopkeeper | Would you buy fresh vegetables from a shopkeeper who survived Ebola and has a certificate from a government health facility stating he/she is now Ebola-free? | Yes, no or don’t know/not sure | Prompted, single response only |
| 9. Ebola survivor student does not put class at risk of Ebola | Do you think that a school pupil who has survived Ebola and has a certificate from a government health facility stating he/she is Ebola-free puts other pupils in their class at risk of infection? | Yes, no or don’t know/not sure | Prompted, single response only |
| Acceptance of safe burial practices | |||
| 10. Would avoid touching or washing a corpse | If a family member became sick and died tomorrow, would you touch or wash the dead body? | Yes, no or don’t know/not sure | Prompted, single response only |
| 11. Would wait for the Ebola burial team to bury the body | If a family member became sick and died tomorrow, would you wait for the burial team to bury the body? | Yes, no or don’t know/not sure | Prompted, single response only |
| 12. Would accept safe alternatives to traditional burial rituals | If a family member died, would you accept alternatives to a traditional funeral/burial that would NOT involve touching or washing the dead body? | Yes, no or don’t know/not sure | Prompted, single response only |
| Self-reported prevention practicesa | |||
| 13. Uptake of any Ebola prevention practice | Since you heard of Ebola, have you taken any action to avoid being infected? | Open-ended | Unprompted, multiple responses allowed |
| 14. Wash hands with soap and water more often | In what ways have you changed your behaviour or taken actions to avoid being infected? (Only asked if the respondent answered “yes” to question 13) | Open-ended | Unprompted, multiple responses allowed |
| 15. Avoid physical contact with suspected Ebola patients | In what ways have you changed your behaviour or taken actions to avoid being infected? (Only asked if the respondent answered “yes” to question 13) | Open-ended | Unprompted, multiple responses allowed |
| 16. Avoid burials that involve contact with a corpse | In what ways have you changed your behaviour or taken actions to avoid being infected? (Only asked if the respondent answered “yes” to question 13) | Open-ended | Unprompted, multiple responses allowed |
a Other pre-coded response categories for prevention practices included: (i) I wash my hands with just water more often; (ii) I clean my hands with other disinfectants more often; (iii) I try to avoid crowded places; (iv) I drink Bittercola; (v) I drink a lot of water or juice; (vi) I drink traditional herbs; (vii) I take antibiotics; (viii) I wear gloves; (ix) I wash with salt and hot water; (x) I use a condom when having sex with someone who has survived Ebola; (xi) I always use a condom when having sex; (xii) I don’t know / am not sure; and (xiii) other unprompted responses.