Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2021 Jan;56(1):57-62.
doi: 10.1007/s00127-020-01904-x. Epub 2020 Jun 14.

Psychological distress among adults from the urban and rural areas affected by the Ebola virus disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Jude Mary Cénat  1 , Sara- Emilie McIntee  2 , Mireille Guerrier  2 , Daniel Derivois  3 , Cécile Rousseau  4 , Rose Darly Dalexis  5 , Jacqueline Bukaka  6 , Oléa Makila-Balayulu  4   6
Affiliations

Psychological distress among adults from the urban and rural areas affected by the Ebola virus disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Jude Mary Cénat et al. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2021 Jan.

Abstract

Purpose: Ebola virus disease (EVD) is associated with high anxiety and multiple bereavement that can induce severe psychological distress (SPD) in individuals living in affected communities. Using data from the EVD and Mental Health project (EboMH), this study assessed the prevalence and determinants of SPD symptoms in a representative sample of adults in communities affected by EVD.

Methods: A representative sample of 1614 adults (50% women) aged 18-85 years completed measures assessing exposure level to EVD, stigmatization related to EVD, and psychological distress.

Results: In total, 45.58% of individuals from the cities and villages affected by EVD reported SPD. Results showed significant differences for residence area, employment, age, education level, and religion, but not for gender. Exposure level to EVD (β = 0.11, p < 0.001; OR = 1.12, 95% CI [1.08-1.16]), stigmatization related to EVD (β = 0.06, p < 0.001; OR = 1.06, 95% CI [1.05-1.07]), and living in rural areas (β = 0.67, p < 0.001; OR = .51, 95% CI [.36-.72]) predicted SPD symptoms.

Conclusions: Evidence-based global mental health programs in high-risk mortality epidemic contexts should take into account the high psychological distress in the affected areas.

Keywords: Ebola virus disease; Exposure to Ebola virus disease; Psychological distress; Stigmatization related to Ebola virus disease.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2016) 2014 Ebola Outbreak in West Africa Epidemic Curves Error processing SSI file
    1. Etard J-F, Sow MS, Leroy S et al (2017) Multidisciplinary assessment of post-Ebola sequelae in Guinea (Postebogui): an observational cohort study. Lancet Infect Dis 17:545–552. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(16)30516-3 - DOI - PubMed
    1. World Health Organization (2016) Ebola virus disease. Situation Report 10 June 2016. Geneva
    1. DR Congo Ministry of Health, WHO-Africa (2019) Ebola in DR Congo North-Kivu 2019 Surveillance Dashboard. https://who.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/e70c3804f60446... . Accessed 18 May 2020
    1. Keita MM, Taverne B, Sy Savané S et al (2017) Depressive symptoms among survivors of Ebola virus disease in Conakry (Guinea): preliminary results of the PostEboGui cohort. BMC Psychiatry 17:127. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-017-1280-8 - DOI - PubMed - PMC

LinkOut - more resources