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Infectious Diseases & Epidemiology

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Global Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2021) | Viewed by 3401

Special Issue Editor

Department of Public Health and Nursing, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, 9037 Tromso, Norway
Interests: public health; epidemiology; environmental health; reproductive health; pregnancy care; climate change
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are organizing a Special Issue on "Infectious Diseases & Epidemiology" (IJERPH, IF 2.468, ISSN 1660-4601). Details about submission dates and all technical details are provided. In these difficult times with pandemic and crises in many sectors epidemiologic evidence for public health purposes is especially important. We hereby invited all interested scientists and public health workers to submit papers. Do not forget that infectious diseases can be much more than Covid-19! In these times we discover that very simple rules about hand washing and distance keeping are extremely effective in prevention of other infectious diseases, e.g., the annual flu coming to all of us. This special issue can shed light on and provide new insight in the complicated game between the human race and their microbial surroundings.   

Prof. Dr. Jon Øyvind Odland
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Infections
  • Epidemiology
  • Public Health
  • Intervention

Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

12 pages, 968 KiB  
Article
Contextualizing Risk Perception and Trust in the Community-Based Response to Ebola Virus Disease in Liberia
by S. Harris Ali, Kathryn Wells and Jarrett Robert Rose
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(6), 3270; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18063270 - 22 Mar 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2457
Abstract
The 2014–15 Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreaks in Western Africa became widespread in primarily three countries, Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Unlike all previous outbreaks in Central and East Africa, which were confined to rural areas, the virus spread rapidly through West Africa [...] Read more.
The 2014–15 Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreaks in Western Africa became widespread in primarily three countries, Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Unlike all previous outbreaks in Central and East Africa, which were confined to rural areas, the virus spread rapidly through West Africa as a result of transmission through high-density urban centres coupled with the effects of public distrust in outbreak response teams and local government officials. Objective: In this study, we examine the EVD epidemic in Liberia, the first country to implement a community-based response that led to changes in the trajectory of the epidemic. The focus on the role of community-based initiatives in outbreak response is often neglected in conventional epidemiological accounts. In this light, we consider the manner in which community-based strategies enabled a more effective response based on the establishment of better trust relations and an enhanced understanding of the risks that EVD posed for the community. Methodology: We conducted qualitative research in five distinct communities in Liberia three years after the outbreaks subsided. Data collection procedures consisted of semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with residents. Results: We found that the implementation of a community-based response, which included the participation of Ebola survivors and local leaders, helped curb and ultimately end the EVD epidemic in Liberia. As community members became more directly involved in the EVD response, the level of trust between citizens, local officials, and non-governmental organization response teams increased. In turn, this led to greater acceptance in abiding to safety protocols, greater receptiveness to risk information, and changes in mobility patterns—all of which played a significant role in turning the tide of the epidemic. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Infectious Diseases & Epidemiology)
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