title: Knowledge and attitudes about Ebola vaccine among the general population in Sierra Leone.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Clinical trials of Ebola vaccine are ongoing. Before it becomes commercially available, understanding the Ebola vaccine-related knowledge and attitude of the general population is imperative to developing an effective vaccine coverage strategy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a survey including 400 participants from general communities of the West Area Rural District, Sierra Leone. Knowledge and attitudes about Ebola vaccine were investigated, and the determinants of having knowledge and a positive attitude toward accepting vaccination were identified.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Over half (55.8%) of the participants were aware of Ebola vaccine. About 60% of the participants were willing to be study subjects if the Ebola vaccine clinical trial were conducted in their communities. Most of the participants (72.5%) were willing to take Ebola vaccination if it was free of charge. Given that the vaccination was not free, the proportion willing to pay a fee to take the vaccination declined dramatically to 26.6%. Using a forward step-wise logistic model, monthly salary was identified as the single determinant (OR for every 100,000 Leones increase: 1.17, 95%CI: 1.04-1.31) for awareness of Ebola vaccine, which was identified as the determinant (OR: 1.88, 95%CI: 1.17-3.02) for free vaccination uptake willingness. The combination of monthly salary, monthly average income of family members and their interaction was found to be associated with charged vaccination uptake willingness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Measures are still needed to promote the Ebola vaccine awareness and knowledge updating. Free or low-priced vaccine could increase the vaccination acceptability of the general community population significantly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Acute Infectious Disease, Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Huo
authors.affiliation: Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Field Epidemiology Training Program, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Guoqing
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: National Center for Tuberculosis Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Xinxu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Zhongshan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Zhongshan, Guangdong Province, China.
authors.forename: Xuehui
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Jilin Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changchun, Jilin Province, China.
authors.forename: Liquan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Huashan Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Mingquan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: District Health Management Team, Western Area, Sierra Leone. Electronic address: ttsamba@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Samba
authors.affiliation: Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China. Electronic address: Liangxf@chinacdc.cn.
authors.forename: Xiaofeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D046129:Ebola Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000191:economics; D005249:Fees and Charges; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D019142:Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D012807:Sierra Leone; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014611:Vaccination / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D046129:Ebola Vaccines
keywords: Attitude; Ebola; General population; Knowledge; Sierra Leone; Vaccine