Title |
Fear factor: The unseen perils of the Ebola outbreak
|
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Published in |
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, August 2016
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DOI | 10.1080/00963402.2016.1216515 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
James M. Shultz, Benjamin M. Althouse, Florence Baingana, Janice L. Cooper, Maria Espinola, M. Claire Greene, Zelde Espinel, Clyde B. McCoy, Laurie Mazurik, Andreas Rechkemmer |
Abstract |
As illustrated powerfully by the 2013-2016 Ebola outbreak in western Africa, infectious diseases create fear and psychological reactions. Frequently, fear transforms into action - or inaction - and manifests as "fear-related behaviors" capable of amplifying the spread of disease, impeding lifesaving medical care for Ebola-infected persons and patients with other serious medical conditions, increasing psychological distress and disorder, and exacerbating social problems. And as the case of the US micro-outbreak shows, fear of an infectious-disease threat can spread explosively even when an epidemic has little chance of materializing. Authorities must take these realities into account if they hope to reduce the deadly effects of fear during future outbreaks. |
X Demographics
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
United States | 3 | 23% |
United Kingdom | 2 | 15% |
Spain | 2 | 15% |
Ethiopia | 1 | 8% |
South Africa | 1 | 8% |
Unknown | 4 | 31% |
Demographic breakdown
Type | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Members of the public | 12 | 92% |
Science communicators (journalists, bloggers, editors) | 1 | 8% |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Unknown | 47 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Student > Master | 7 | 15% |
Student > Bachelor | 5 | 11% |
Other | 4 | 9% |
Student > Postgraduate | 4 | 9% |
Student > Doctoral Student | 3 | 6% |
Other | 7 | 15% |
Unknown | 17 | 36% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Medicine and Dentistry | 9 | 19% |
Psychology | 5 | 11% |
Business, Management and Accounting | 4 | 9% |
Nursing and Health Professions | 3 | 6% |
Social Sciences | 3 | 6% |
Other | 5 | 11% |
Unknown | 18 | 38% |