The Impact of Sociocultural Estates on Community Health Outcomes: An Epidemiological Analysis of Its Impact on the Prevalence and Spread of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) Outbreak in Sierra Leon

The main purpose of the study was to examine the impact of sociocultural factors on the incidence and spread of ebola virus disease (EVD) during the 2014/2015 outbreak in Sierra Leone. Blum's force field model, the ecological model, and Agyepong (2014) paradigm of disease prevention and control formed the theoretical basis of the research. The study was conducted as an action research and utilized both quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection. The quantitative data collection included an in-person 18 items questionnaire administration to 500 respondents in 10 political districts in Sierra Leone. The qualitative data collection included direct observation of some of the sociocultural activities and the interviewing of key stakeholders in the management of the 2014/2015 EVD outbreak in Sierra Leone. A descriptive statistic was used to analyze the research data collected using frequency distribution tables, charts, graphs and statistical calculations (Pearson Correlation Coefficient and Cohen Kappa Analysis). The outcome of the study demonstrated a strong average correlation (r = 0.7) between the incidence/spread of the EVD and studied sociocultural factors. The result also showed handshake to have a significant correlation (r = 0.9) with the incidence and spread of EVD during the 2014/2015 outbreak. The research study recommendations included the following: longitudinal cohort studies of sociocultural factors, impact analysis of sociocultural factors on the extent of spread of the EVD, and needs assessment of Sierra Leone public health infrastructure.