International Journal of Emergency Mental Health and Human Resilience
Open Access

Mini Review

Assessing Community Reactions to Ebola Virus Disease and Other Disasters: Using Social Psychological Research to Enhance Public Health and Disaster Communications

Joseph A. Boscarino^*, PhD, MPH^1,2,3, Richard E. Adams, PhD⁴

¹Center for Health Research, Geisinger Clinic, Danville, PA

²Department of Psychiatry, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA

³Departments of Medicine & Pediatrics, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY

⁴Department of Sociology, Kent State University, Kent, OH

*Corresponding Author:

Joseph A. Boscarino
Email: jaboscarino@geisinger.edu

Drawing on the lessons learned from previous disaster and disease outbreak studies over the past two decades, in the following article we review research related to social psychological assessment of community attitudes, knowledge, and beliefs associated with the recent Ebola outbreak and other public health threats, and discuss the use of this information to assist in future disaster planning and crisis communications. Psychologists, physicians, and others in the healthcare field need to be aware of these developments and involved with preparations related to mitigating the psychological impact of Ebola disease outbreaks among different populations, as well as other potential public health threats in the future.

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