Assessment of Postgraduate Health Professions Students’ knowledge on Ebola and the Need for Education in Global Health

Abstract

Background: Ebola virus disease is a serious acute illness that is often fatal if untreated. Multiple outbreaks have occurred in Africa from 1976 to 2014. The recent outbreak of Ebola in West Africa was declared by the WHO as a public health emergency of international concern.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess knowledge level on Ebola among
postgraduate health professions students at a university in Sudan and to make the case for the need for global health education.

Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 123 postgraduate health professions students. Data was collected using a questionnaire constructed from information available on the websites of the World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Results: Participants’ response rate was 98.4%. 95.9% had heard of Ebola virus disease before the study. Of these, all had correctly identified the causative agent as a virus and more than 81% were aware that fever, internal and external bleeding were signs and symptoms of Ebola virus disease. More than 81% of study participants were aware that the methods of prevention included case management, using gloves and protective clothing and patient isolation. While, 68.6% correctly stated that there was no vaccine for Ebola virus disease.

Conclusion: There is gap in knowledge on Ebola virus disease which can be filled
byincorporating education on global health with an emphasis on emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases in the curricula of both programs.

Keywords: Knowledge, Ebola, Global health, Sudan, students.