Abstract

The Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in West Africa in 2014 resulted in cases spreading to other parts of the world, such as the United States of America (USA). A survey was carried out among Meharry Medical College residents to ascertain their knowledge of Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines on prevention and management of EVD. A structured questionnaire was administered to a cross-section of residents at Meharry Medical College between December 2014 and January 2015. A total of 60 residents participated in the survey. Of these, 11 (18.3%) were psychiatry residents, 5 (8.3%) each were preventive and occupational medicine residents, while 13 (21.7%) and 26 (43.4%) were family and internal medicine residents, respectively. Compared to other specialties, resident physicians in occupational medicine had higher knowledge of the first step in the management of Ebola virus (EBOV) (p=0.042). On whether use of personal protective equipment (PPE) was required for individuals driving or riding in a vehicle carrying human remains of EBOV patients, only 10 respondents (16.7%) answered correctly, with preventive medicine residents performing significantly better than other physicians (p<0.0001). In conclusion, this study identified that resident physicians have a low level of knowledge regarding the presentation, prevention and management of EVD, including handling post-mortem remains. This study highlights the importance of educational interventions to improve knowledge on EVD prevention and management.

Key words: Ebola virus disease, Ebola hemorrhagic fever, infectious disease, awareness, Knowledge, attitude and perception (KAP), medical residents, knowledge, attitudes, Ebola epidemic.