scholarly journals Diminished Quality of Life among Women affected by Ebola

Author(s):  
Jessi Hanson ◽  
Alexis Decosimo ◽  
Megan Quinn

This article analyzes data collected from Liberian women afflicted by the Ebola virus disease, survivors of the virus and noninfected persons living in Ebola-affected homes. This research is one of the first statistical analyses examining factors diminishing quality of life: negative experiences, stigma, and psychosocial symptoms among females affected by the virus after the outbreak. The research presents a thorough literature review, including research related to other infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS, to inform the gap in studies on Ebola’s effects on quality of life. Women who are Ebola virus disease survivors demonstrate significant differences in stigma and psychosocial stress when compared to their female peers. This article attempts to broaden understanding of the conditions and mental health of women affected by Ebola.

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Grigoryan ◽  
Rebecca Bitsko ◽  
Ha Young Lee ◽  
Barbara Lopes-Cardozo ◽  
Ruth Perou

The mental health and psychosocial implications of the 2014 Ebola outbreak are multifaceted, impacting survivors, families, healthcare providers, and the public health response. We conducted a literature review and summarized published information pertinent to mental health and psychosocial aspects of Ebola virus disease (EVD). A total of 140 documents were identified, including peer-reviewed research, newspaper articles, pamphlets, and guidelines/training manuals. One of the main obstacles in reducing the outbreak has been the widespread ignorance, and potential panic over EVD, leading to fear, isolation, and stigmatization. Using results of this review we developed stigma mitigation messages for Ebola survivors and responders.


2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (05) ◽  
pp. 537-543 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giulia Bertoli ◽  
Marco Mannazzu ◽  
Giordano Madeddu ◽  
Riccardo Are ◽  
Alberto Muredda ◽  
...  

Since the onset of the worst epidemic of Ebola virus disease in December 2013, 28,637 cases were reported as confirmed, probable, or suspected. Since the week of 3 January 2016, no more cases have been reported. The total number of deaths have amounted to 11,315 (39.5%). In developed countries, seven cases have been diagnosed: four in the United States, one in Spain, one in the United Kingdom, and one in Italy. On 20 July 2015, Italy was declared Ebola-free. On 9 May 2015, an Italian health worker came back to Italy after a long stay in Sierra Leone working for a non-governmental organization. Forty-eight hours after his arrival, he noticed headache, weakness, muscle pains, and slight fever. The following day, he was safely transported to the Infectious Diseases Unit of University Hospital of Sassari. The patient was hospitalized for 19 hours until an Italian Air Force medical division transferred him to Rome, to the Lazzaro Spallanzani Institute. Nineteen people who had contacts with the patient were monitored daily for 21 days by the Public Health Office of Sassari and none presented any symptoms. So far, neither vaccine nor treatment is available to be proposed on an international scale. Ebola is considered a re-emerging infectious disease which, unlike in the past, has been a worldwide emergency. This case study aimed to establish a discussion about the operative and logistic difficulties to be faced and about the discrepancy arising when protocols clash with the reality of facts.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrice Debré ◽  
Marie Neunez ◽  
Michel Goldman

Ebola virus disease is one of the deadliest infections in the world today. The microbe to blame is the Ebola virus. It has already caused numerous outbreaks in Africa, in the regions located south of the Sahara. This article describes the main characteristics of this infectious disease as well as the currently available treatments, namely vaccines and antibodies. Antibodies are produced by the human body when it is infected by a microbe. Antibodies can be collected from the blood of infected humans or animals and purified or manufactured in a laboratory to produce drugs. While vaccines have demonstrated their effectiveness in preventing infectious diseases, antibodies are effective in stopping the progression of several infectious diseases. In this article, you will discover that the stimulation of the immune system, either by the vaccine or by antibodies, is essential to tackle Ebola virus disease.


Author(s):  
Stephen B. Kennedy ◽  
John B. Dogba ◽  
Christine L. Wasunna ◽  
Philip Sahr ◽  
Candace B. Eastman ◽  
...  

Prior to the Ebola virus disease outbreak in Liberia, the laboratory system was duplicativefragmented and minimally coordinated. The National Reference Laboratory was conceptualisedto address the existing challenges by promoting the implementation of effective and sustainablelaboratory services in Liberia. However, in a resource-limited environment such as Liberiaprogress regarding the rebuilding of the health system can be relatively slow, while efforts tosustain the transient gains remain a key challenge for the Ministry of Health. In this paper, wedescribe the pre-Ebola virus disease laboratory system in Liberia and its prevailing efforts toaddress future emerging infectious diseases, as well as current Infectious diseases, all of whichare exacerbated by poverty. We conclude that laboratory and diagnostic services in Liberiahave encountered numerous challenges regarding its efforts to strengthen the healthcaredelivery system. These challenges include limited trained human resource capacity, inadequateinfrastructure, and a lack of coordination. As with most countries in sub-Saharan Africa, whencomparing urban and rural settings, diagnostic and clinical services are generally skewedtoward urban health facilities and private, faith-based health facilities. We recommend thatstructured policy be directed at these challenges for national institutions to develop guidelinesto improve, strengthen and sustain diagnostic and curative laboratory services to effectivelyaddress current infectious diseases and prepare for future emerging and re-emerging infectiousdiseases.


Author(s):  
Αγγελική Παναγιωτοπούλου ◽  
Αντωνία Α. Πασχάλη

This literature review aims to investigate Cognitive Behavioral Programs (CBT) that are applied worldwide and their effectiveness on the prevention of anxiety and depression in nursing students. In the first part of the review, the importance of studying these programs and their application in the nursing population are mentioned. Contemporaryresearch data on the prevalence of anxiety and depression in nursing students are examined and comparisons are made with studies looking upon general student population of the same age. Factors thattrigger or protect against the onset of these problems are presented. CBT programs are discussed, in relation to anxiety disorders and depression in relevance to the nursing population, while in the later section contemporary research findings of CBT programs that have been applied to nursing students are presented. The results of these programs show that there is a significant decrease of the anxiety and improvement of the students’ mood, which points to the importance of primary prevention in the academic environment in order to ensure students’ mental health and quality of life.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 161-167
Author(s):  
Retno Tharra Handayani

Low vision has been declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) to be one of the major ophthalmologic problems requiring global attention. Low-vision patients experience a reduced vision-related quality of life due to impaired visual function. However, this condition that interfere their daily life could also make a significant effect on their mental health. Therefore, the final goal of low-vision rehabilitation is to improve the daily quality of life. However, the absence of vision at birth appears to protect against psychosis, whereas later-life visual loss appears to predispose to the development of psychotic symptoms. Thus, our purpose in this literature review is to learn how the onset of visual loss may affect patient's mental health.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katharina Hüfner ◽  
Piotr Tymoszuk ◽  
Dietmar Ausserhofer ◽  
Sabina Sahanic ◽  
Alex Pizzini ◽  
...  

Background: COVID-19 convalescents are at risk of developing a de novo mental health disorder or of worsening of a pre-existing one. The objectives of our study was to phenotype individuals at highest risk of mental health disorders among COVID-19 outpatients. Methods: We conducted a binational online survey study with adult non-hospitalized COVID-19 convalescents (Austria/AT: n=1157, Italy/IT: n= 893). Primary endpoints were positive screening for depression and anxiety (PHQ-4, Patient Health Questionnaire) and self-perceived overall mental health and quality of life rated with 4 point Likert scales. Psychosocial stress was surveyed with a modified PHQ stress module. Associations of the mental health with socio-demographic variables, COVID-19 course and recovery data were assessed by multi-parameter random forest and serial univariable modeling. Mental disorder risk subsets were defined by self-organizing map and hierarchical clustering algorithms. The survey analyses are publicly available (https://im2-ibk.shinyapps.io/mental_health_dashboard/). Results: In the study cohorts, 4.6 (IT)/6% (AT) of participants reported depression and/or anxiety before to infection. At a median of 79 days (AT)/96 days (IT) post COVID-19 onset, 12.4 (AT)/19.3% (IT) of subjects were screened positive for anxiety and 17.3 (AT)/23.2% (IT) for depression. Over one-fifth of the respondents rated their overall mental health (AT: 21.8%, IT: 24.1%) or quality of life (AT: 20.3%, IT: 25.9%) as fair or poor. In both study collectives, psychosocial stress, high numbers of acute and persistent COVID-19 complaints and the presence of acute neurocognitive symptoms (impaired concentration, confusion, forgetfulness) were the strongest correlates of deteriorating mental health and poor quality of life. In clustering analysis, these variables defined a high risk subset with particularly high propensity of post-COVID-19 mental health impairment and decreased quality of life. Pre-existing depression or anxiety was associated with an increased symptom burden during acute COVID-19 and recovery. Conclusion: Our study revealed a bidirectional relationship between COVID-19 symptoms and mental health. We put forward specific acute symptoms of the disease as red flags of mental health deterioration which should prompt general practitioners to identify COVID-19 patients who may benefit from early psychological and psychiatric intervention. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04661462.


2016 ◽  
Vol 36 (5) ◽  
pp. e8-e13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellen J. Eckes ◽  
Debbie Gutierrez ◽  
Ann Peterson ◽  
Melissa Hubbard ◽  
Kevin Barrett ◽  
...  

Nurses manage patients with common infectious diseases by following institutional guidelines based on expert advice, evidence in the literature, and a wealth of experience. Today nurses are challenged to provide care to patients with multidrug-resistant organisms and virulent infectious diseases such as Ebola virus disease. Management of some patients with virulent infectious diseases occurs in the context of minimal experience with the pathogen, course of infection, diagnostics, nursing care, and treatment. Limited evidence exists in the US or international literature about direct nursing care of patients with virulent infectious diseases in the community, clinic, or hospital. Workplaces may have insufficient supplies, equipment, and knowledge of the management of patients with these diseases. At the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, nursing education strategies for enhanced experiential learning are used to prepare staff to care for patients with virulent infectious diseases, especially Ebola virus disease.


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