Journal Article > ResearchFull Text
Nurs Health Sci. 2017 September 20; Volume 19 (Issue 4); DOI:10.1111/nhs.12372
Schwerdtle PN, De Clerck V, Plummer V
Nurs Health Sci. 2017 September 20; Volume 19 (Issue 4); DOI:10.1111/nhs.12372
The outbreak of Ebola virus disease in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone was the largest epidemic of Ebola ever recorded. The healthcare workforce was diminished and exhausted as the region emerged from civil war. Few qualitative, descriptive studies have been conducted to date that concentrate on the voices of Ebola survivors and their perceptions of health messages. In this study, we employed an interpretive, qualitative design to explore participant experiences. Twenty five survivors who had recovered from Ebola were recruited from three villages in Liberia and Sierra Leone in August 2015. Data were collected using semistructured interviews. Data analysis revealed four themes: (i) degrees of mistrust; (ii) messages conflicting with life and culture; (iii) seeing is believing; and (iv) recovery inspires hope. The findings were explored in the context of the relevant literature. The themes highlight the need to develop culturally-appropriate messages, underpinned by a sound understanding of the community and a willingness to work with the culture and trusted leaders.
Journal Article > ResearchFull Text
Nurs Health Sci. 2007 December 1; DOI:10.1111/j.1442-2018.2007.00339.x
Eriksson A
Nurs Health Sci. 2007 December 1; DOI:10.1111/j.1442-2018.2007.00339.x
Disasters occur not only in war and conflict or after natural events, such as earthquakes or floods. In fact, the death of hundreds of thousands of children in Niger every year, often for treatable conditions, could just as well qualify as a disaster situation. A lack of funding for health care and health-care staff and user fee policies for health care in very poor or unstable settings challenge international agreements that make statements about the right to health and access to health care for all people. This paper argues that although sustainable development is important, today many are without essential health care and die in the silent disasters of hunger and poverty. In other words, the development of health care appears to be stalled for the sake of sustainability.