Learning from the Epidemiological Response to the 2014/15 Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak

Maya Holding; Chikwe Ihekweazu; James MacNaughton Stuart; Isabel Oliver

doi:10.2991/jegh.k.190808.002

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Volume 9, Issue 3, September 2019, Pages 169 - 175

Learning from the Epidemiological Response to the 2014/15 Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak

Authors

Maya Holding¹^{, 2}^{, 3}, Chikwe Ihekweazu⁴^{, 5}, James MacNaughton Stuart¹^{, 6}, Isabel Oliver¹^{, 2}^{, *}

¹NIHR Health Protection Research Unit on Evaluation of Interventions, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK

²Field Service, National Infection Service, Public Health England, Bristol, UK

³NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK

⁴Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Abuja, Nigeria

⁵ECOWAS Regional Centre for Surveillance and Disease Control, Abuja, Nigeria

⁶School of Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK

^*Corresponding author. Email: Isabel.Oliver@phe.gov.uk

Corresponding Author

Isabel Oliver

Received 14 March 2019, Accepted 7 August 2019, Available Online 22 August 2019.

DOI: 10.2991/jegh.k.190808.002 How to use a DOI?
Keywords: Ebola virus; epidemiologist; outbreak response; international deployment; West Africa; FETP
Abstract: A large international response was needed to bring the 2014/15 West African Ebola virus disease outbreak under control. This study sought to learn lessons from this epidemic to strengthen the response to future outbreaks of international significance by identifying priorities for future epidemiology training and response. Epidemiologists who were deployed to West Africa were recruited through a snowball sampling method and surveyed using an online anonymous questionnaire. Associations between demographics, training, qualifications, and role while in-country were explored alongside respondents’ experience during deployment. Of 128 responses, 105 met the inclusion criteria. Respondents originated from 25 countries worldwide, for many (62%), this was their first deployment abroad. The most common tasks carried out while deployed were surveillance, training, contact tracing, and cluster investigation. Epidemiologists would value more detailed predeployment briefings including organizational aspects of the response. Gaps in technical skills reported were mostly about geographical information systems; however, epidemiologists identified the need for those deployed in future to have greater knowledge about roles and responsibilities of organizations involved in the response, better cultural awareness, and leadership and management skills. Respondents felt that the public health community must improve the timeliness of the response in future outbreaks and strengthen collaboration and coordination between organizations.
Open Access: This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC 4.0 license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).

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Journal: Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health
Volume-Issue: 9 - 3
Pages: 169 - 175
Publication Date: 2019/08/22
ISSN (Online): 2210-6014
ISSN (Print): 2210-6006
DOI: 10.2991/jegh.k.190808.002 How to use a DOI?
Open Access: This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC 4.0 license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).

Cite this article

ris enw bib

TY  - JOUR
AU  - Maya Holding
AU  - Chikwe Ihekweazu
AU  - James MacNaughton Stuart
AU  - Isabel Oliver
PY  - 2019
DA  - 2019/08/22
TI  - Learning from the Epidemiological Response to the 2014/15 Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak
JO  - Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health
SP  - 169
EP  - 175
VL  - 9
IS  - 3
SN  - 2210-6014
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/jegh.k.190808.002
DO  - 10.2991/jegh.k.190808.002
ID  - Holding2019
ER  -

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