The lived experience of waiting-to-know: Ebola at Mbarara, Uganda--hoping for life, anticipating death.
PURPOSE PF THE STUDY: The purpose of the study was to describe the phenomenon of 'waiting to know'. It is a phenomenon uniquely experienced by persons who had been exposed to patients with Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever (Ebola) but who have not yet exhibited signs and symptoms of the disease.
The phenomenological human science approach was used using the four life worlds as guides for reflection. These are spatiality, corporeality, temporality, and relationality.


METHODS
Seven health care personnel were selected through professional networking. They were preferred because of their exposure to patients with Ebola during the epidemic at Mbarara, Uganda.


RESULTS
Written descriptions of the experience of 'waiting to know' whether exposure to patients with Ebola causes these participants to be infected, were obtained and analysed. Through immersion with the written descriptions, the following themes emerged: helplessness in anticipation and fear of dying or premature death; agonizing and languishing over losing relatives, friends, and loved ones; trusting no one, and; helplessness and hopelessness with the persistence of time.
Locsin
Rozzano C
RC
Department of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda. locsin@fau.edu
Matua
Amandu Gerald
AG
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001293:Attitude to Death; D001294:Attitude to Health; D016358:Contact Tracing; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005086:Existentialism; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006117:Grief; D006380:Helplessness, Learned; D019142:Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D009013:Morale; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D013997:Time Factors; D014454:Uganda / Q000453:epidemiology