Franklin, S. 2023. ‘It was organized from the bottom’: the response from community-based institutions during the 2014 Ebola epidemic. Journal of Institutional Economics. 19 (5), pp. 635-650. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1744137423000085
| Title | ‘It was organized from the bottom’: the response from community-based institutions during the 2014 Ebola epidemic |
|---|---|
| Type | Journal article |
| Authors | Franklin, S. |
| Abstract | What was the turning point in the world's largest and deadliest outbreak of the Ebola virus disease? Public health interventions tend to focus on supply-side provision of public health goods. These goods are clinical resources such as medicine or equipment. However, no nation has enough resources to ‘treat’ its way out of a widespread epidemic. Behavioural changes, such as social distancing, are needed too. Behaviours are the demand-side of public health goods and if unaddressed, perpetuate disease transmission. Community-based institutions addressed demand-side barriers during the 2014 Ebola epidemic in Liberia and Sierra Leone. Sixty-seven interviews were conducted in several provinces in Liberia and Sierra Leone. The findings show that information asymmetry and collective action challenges lowered the demand for clinical resources. Community-based institutions intervened via health sensitization and emergency regulations. Therefore, health seeking and public cooperation improved. This research study demonstrates a need to integrate community-led action into public health emergency management. |
| Journal | Journal of Institutional Economics |
| Journal citation | 19 (5), pp. 635-650 |
| ISSN | 1744-1374 |
| 1744-1382 | |
| Year | 2023 |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| Publisher's version | License CC BY 4.0 File Access Level Open (open metadata and files) |
| Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1017/S1744137423000085 |
| Publication dates | |
| Published online | 03 Apr 2023 |