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Psychosocial Support during an Outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease: IFRC Briefing Note

This briefing note provides background knowledge on the psychosocial aspects of responding to the Ebola epidemic and suggests psychosocial support activities that can be implemented. Psychosocial support is not only vital to ensure the well‐being of the affected population, but also to counter‐act the threats to public health and safety that fear, stigmatization and misconception poses. Furthermore, everybody involved in the response, from expat staff, local staff and volunteers, is working under unusually stressful conditions. The target group is primarily psychosocial support delegates who work to support patients, affected communities and staff and volunteers. At the same time, the messages in this briefing note can be helpful for all staff and volunteers who are in contact with patients, relatives and personally feel the strain of working and living during the epidemic. The first part of this note deals with overall issues that any delegate, staff or volunteers responding to Ebola is likely to encounter, while the second part contains information, recommendations and suggestions for providing psychosocial support.

Author(s): 
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Year of Publication: 
2014
Resource Type: 
Gray literature
Language: 
English
Section: 
Resource Database