Author(s) and year (reference no.) | Country (-ies) | Epidemic-prone disease(s) | Study population(s) | Methods | Results | Quality of study | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Measurements/description of risk perceptions | Factors reported to have an influence on risk perception | Factors reported to have no effect on risk perception | ||||||
Abdi et al. 2015 [45] | Kenya | Rift Valley Fever (RVF) | General adult population (pastoralist community) | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Interviewer-administered questionnaire | Perceived severity: agree 99.2%, disagree 0.8% Perceived likelihood (personal): agree 74%, disagree 26% | None | Gender Area of residence (2 wards in one district were compared, both equally affected by previous RVF outbreaks) | Good |
Abou-Abbas et al. 2020 [73] | Lebanon | COVID-19 | Health professionals—clinical staff | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Self-administered questionnaire | 32.6% exhibited fears towards working in places where patients suspected of COVID-19 infection are admitted 36.3% reported that they were afraid of treating a patient with COVID-19 infection | None | None | Good |
Adhena and Hidru 2020 [64] | Ethiopia | COVID-19 | General adult population | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Interviewer-administered questionnaire | 79.2% believed that they are at risk of getting to COVID-19 | None | None | Good |
Akalu, Ayelign et al. 2020 [57] | Ethiopia | COVID-19 | General adult population | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Interviewer-administered questionnaire | Risk of COVID-19 infection: high 19.8%, moderate 36.1%, low 28.5%, very low 20.5% | None | None | Good |
Akram et al. 2015 [40] | Pakistan | Cutaneous leishmaniasis | General adult population | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Interviewer-administered questionnaire | 42% reported that leishmaniasis is more serious than dengue fever | None | None | Poor |
Alyousefi et al. 2016 [51] | Yemen | Dengue fever | General adult population (conflict-affected, dengue-endemic area) | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Interviewer-administered questionnaire | 97.7% agree that dengue is a serious disease, 75.5% agree that they are at risk of dengue fever | None | None | Good |
Asnakew et al. 2020 [62] | Ethiopia | COVID-19 | General adult population | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Self-administered questionnaire | 90.4% perceived that they are susceptible to COVID-19 87.5% perceived that COVID-19 is a serious disease | Marital status, setting/residence, education, income level, occupation, age, family size was associated with perceived susceptibility | Sex, religion had no significant effect on perceived susceptibility Sex, marital status, religion, residence, educational level, income level, occupation, age and family size had no significant effect on perceived seriousness of disease | Acceptable |
Ayegbusi et al. 2016 [67] | Nigeria | Ebola virus disease | General adult population (bushmeat handlers [hunters, hawkers, consumers, restaurant owners]) | Cross-sectional study Qualitative data In-depth interviews | Some of the respondents expressed some level of anxiety about EVD | The threat posed by EVD to the livelihood of bushmeat sellers, and to well-established use of bushmeat in diet, in spiritual fortification, treatment of disease conditions, seems to be associated with a lower perceived risk The fact that EVD is incurable and no previous outbreak occurred in the country before seems to be associated with higher perceived risk | None | Poor |
Bell et al. 2017 [72] | Liberia | Ebola virus disease | Health professionals: community health workers including traditional birth attendants, government community health volunteers, nurses, physician assistants, and midwives | Cross-sectional study Qualitative data Focus group discussions | Participants described a pervasive fear about EVD that permeated their daily lifestyle. Fears about EVD ranged from fear of contracting the disease to a fear of exposing others. Participants were worried for themselves, their families, and their community about contracting or dying from EVD | Fear associated with contracting or spreading the disease due to their positions in the community as healthcare providers; the rapid spread of EVD; the fact that EVD is incurable and not visible; scarce/unavailable personal protective equipment (PPE), non-contact thermometers, handwashing/disinfection facilities/supplies; limited training on how to use PPE and the additional equipment introduced during the response | None | Good |
Berman et al. 2017 [58] | Liberia | Ebola virus disease | General adult population: mobile phone users | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data SMS-based survey | 50% felt that they were not at all likely to become infected 30% indicated that they were very likely to get infected 20% indicated they were somewhat likely to get infected | Perceived self-efficacy (confidence in their ability to protect themselves) | None | Acceptable |
Blum et al. 2014 [39] | Malawi | Typhoid fever | General adult population in villages where typhoid cases had been confirmed | Cross-sectional Qualitative data Free listing exercises In-depth interviews | Typhoid fever was considered the most serious among 23 common illnesses Typhoid was universally viewed as prevalent and extremely dangerous Common diseases, including malaria, were considered comparatively less serious | High risk perception was associated with: Profound economic consequences because those afflicted were unable to farm: The severity of typhoid The continuation of the ongoing outbreak | None | Good |
Chaudhary et al. 2020 [74] | Pakistan | COVID-19 | Health professionals: clinical and non-clinical oral healthcare workers | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Self-administered questionnaire | The job risks an exposure to COVID-19 98.5% agree amongst clinical staff, 55% agree amongst non-clinical staff, P-value 0.001 Fear of getting infected by COVID-19: 94.4% agree amongst clinical staff, 80.3% agree amongst non-clinical staff, P-value 0.001 Perceived susceptibility of others: people close to me would be at high risk of getting COVID-19 because of my job 98.5% agree amongst clinical staff, 96.9% agree amongst non-clinical staff I would be concerned for my: Spouse/partner: 77.8% agree amongst clinical staff, 74.3% agree amongst non-clinical staff, non-significant Parents: 59.9% agree amongst clinical staff, 54.5% agree amongst non-clinical staff, non-significant Children: 59.9% agree amongst clinical staff, 66% agree amongst non-clinical staff, non-significant Close friends: 45.9% agree amongst clinical staff, 49.2% agree amongst non-clinical staff, non-significant Work colleagues: 94.1% agree amongst clinical staff, 72.8% agree amongst non-clinical staff, p-value 0.001 | None | None | Good |
Claude et al. 2019 [107] | Democratic Republic of Congo | Ebola virus disease | General adult population: displaced and non-displaced persons health professionals: nurses and doctors from the study sites | Cross-sectional study Mixed methods Focus group discussions Interviewer-administered questionnaire | The exact measurements of risk perceptions cannot be discerned from the text in the paper. Approximate estimates were discerned from a figure in the paper: 25% perceived high risk, 30% perceived intermediate risk, 45% perceived low risk | None | None | Good |
Coulibaly et al. 2013 [108] | Ivory Coast | Pandemic influenza A (H1N1) | Health professionals: doctors, nurses, midwives and support staff in health services | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Interviewer-administered questionnaire | 82.3% Feel at risk of contracting pH1N1 67.6% Fear of becoming infected with pH1N1 22% Fear of becoming influenza-infected at the hospital | None | None | Good |
Echoru et al. 2020 [43] | Uganda | COVID-19 | General adult population: university lecturers and students | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Self-administered questionnaire | COVID-19 is dangerous and can kill anyone: 98% said yes amongst lecturers, 98.1% said yes amongst students, difference not significant | None | None | Good |
Ekra et al. 2017 [81] | Ivory Coast | Dengue fever | Health professionals—clinical staff | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Interviewer-administered questionnaire | 74% health professionals perceived dengue as a serious illness 43% health professionals perceived the risk of dengue outbreak in Cote d’Ivoire | None | None | Good |
Englert et al. 2019 [76] | Uganda | Ebola virus disease Marburg virus disease | Health professionals (clinical and non-clinical workers involved in previous medical responses to outbreaks) | Cross-sectional Qualitative data In-depth interviews | 93% of interviewees described being fearful during the EVD outbreak in Gulu All survivors experienced fear, while 75% of the non-infected experienced fear during the EVD outbreak in Bundibugyo In Kabale, 68% of interviewees reported experiencing fear during the Marburg virus outbreak | Alleviated fear: increased PPE availability, prayer, counselling, knowledge of Ebola, vaccine development, earlier diagnostic tools, and a task force with established protocols, continuous education, improved laboratories, robust public education, Marburg-specific training, establishing isolation areas outside main hospital buildings, the presence of role models and experts during the response Increased fear: encountering an infected patient and unusual disease presentations | None | Good |
Ernst et al. 2016 [47] | Kenya | Malaria | General adult population in malaria-endemic areas | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Interviewer-administered questionnaire | Highland areas (seasonal transmission): 97% agree family at risk of malaria, 91% agree malaria is serious, 85% agree children are more at risk than adults Lowland areas (holoendemic transmission): 96% agree family at risk of malaria, 93% agree malaria is serious, 66% agree children are more at risk than adults | None | None | Good |
Fatiregun et al. 2012 [78] | Nigeria | Pandemic influenza A (H1N1) | Health professionals—clinical staff | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Self-administered questionnaire | 29.8% perceived their risk of contracting the infection as high | None | None | Good |
Ghazi et al. 2020 [63] | Iraq | COVID-19 | General adult population | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Self-administered questionnaire | 80.2% perceived COVID-19 as contagious and can lead to death 76.9% perceived COVID-19 as very/seriously dangerous, 20.6% as dangerous, and 2.6% as not dangerous | None | None | Acceptable |
Gidado et al. 2015 [59] | Nigeria | Ebola virus disease | General adult population | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Interviewer-administered questionnaire | 61% felt that they cannot contract EVD | Spiritual and divine protection was associated with lower risk perception Self-efficacy (confidence in ability to protect themselves) was associated with higher risk perception | None | Good |
Girma et al. 2020 [75] | Ethiopia | COVID-19 | Health professionals: clinical and academic staff at university hospitals | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Self-administered questionnaire | Mean overall risk perception score (out of highest score of 25): 23.59 Mean score (out of highest score of 5): Perceived risk of getting infected with COVID-19: 3.67 Perceived risk of others at work place to get COVID-19: 3.33 Perceived risk of any Ethiopians to get COVID-19: 3.29 Perceived risk of family and friends getting COVID-19: 2.79 Perceived risk of serious COVID-19 illness: 3.48 Perceived risk of death: 2.8 Perceived vulnerability to COVID-19: 4.01 (3.61 HIV/AIDS, 3.87 common cold, 3.32 malaria, 3.64 TB) Perceived severity of COVID-19: 3.63 (3.81 HIV/AIDS, 3.33 common cold, 2.87 malaria, 3.43 TB) | None | None | Acceptable |
Girum et al. 2017 [48] | Ethiopia | Malaria | General adult population in malaria-endemic districts | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Interviewer-administered questionnaire | I think that malaria is a life-threatening disease: 9% disagree, 91% agree I am sure that anyone can get malaria 100% agree In my opinion, children and pregnant women are at higher risk of malaria 2% disagree, 98% agree | None | None | Good |
Hakim et al. 2020 [109] | Pakistan | COVID-19 | Health professionals—clinical staff | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Self-administered questionnaire | Perceived likelihood (what do you think is your risk of infection from COVID-19 during your professional duties in the next 30 days?): no risk 1.55% low risk 5.30% medium risk 24.28% high risk 68.87% Perceived likelihood (What do you think is your risk of infection from COVID-19 in your personal life in the next 30 days?): no risk 2.43% low risk 20.97% medium risk 29.14% high risk 47.46% | None | None | Good |
Idris et al. 2015 [79] | Nigeria | Ebola virus disease | Health professionals: frontline responders to medical emergencies in rural and urban settings. Includes public and private sector healthcare workers | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Interviewer-administered questionnaire | Perceived likelihood (risk of being infected): Public sector 17.5% very likely 21.6% not very likely 16% somewhat likely 41.8% not likely at all 3.1% no response Private sector 22.2% very likely 21.6% not very likely 18.6% somewhat likely 30.4% not likely at all 7.2% no response P-value 0.089 | None | None | Good |
Ilesanmi and Afolabi 2020 [53] | Nigeria | COVID-19 | General adult population: urban settings | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Interviewer-administered questionnaire | 26% said they could contract COVID-19 27.5% said it is a deadly disease | None | None | Good |
Iliyasu et al. 2015 [77] | Nigeria | Ebola virus disease | General adult population Health professionals—clinical | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Self-administered questionnaire | Perceived likelihood (moderate to high fear): Kano 78.3%, Bayelsa 64.7%, Calabar 82.2% Perceived severity: 95.8% agree in Kano, 99.2% agree in Calabar | None | None | Acceptable |
Iorfa et al. 2020 [69] | Nigeria | COVID-19 | General adult population | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Self-administered questionnaire | Unable to discern from paper | Knowledge of COVID-19 Age (among males) | Age (among females) Gender | Good |
Irwin et al. 2017 [110] | Guinea | Ebola virus disease | General adult population | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Interviewer-administered questionnaire | Perceived likelihood (self-rated risk of contracting Ebola): None or low 82.7% High 17.3% | None | None | Good |
Jalloh et al. 2018 [111] | Sierra Leone | Ebola virus disease | General adult population | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Interviewer-administered questionnaire | 72% of respondents perceived Ebola as a threat at one or more levels: to Sierra Leone (69%), their district (58%), their community (53%) or their household (51%) | None | None | Good |
Jiang et al. 2016 [60] | Sierra Leone | Ebola virus disease | General adult population: areas at high risk of EVD transmission | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Interviewer-administered questionnaire | 10% of respondents believe that they are at not at risk of contracting Ebola Among 90% of respondents reporting perceived risk of contracting Ebola: 27%, 29%, and 44% reported high, medium, and low perceived risk respectively | Perceived self-efficacy (confidence in ability to protect themselves), occupation, area of residence | Educational level, having ever been to the seaside, getting Ebola information from billboards, and getting Ebola information from brochures | Good |
Kabito et al. 2020 [54] | Ethiopia | COVID-19 | General adult population | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Interviewer-administered questionnaire | Prevalence of high-risk perceptions was 23.11% (n = 144), 95% CI (19.80–26.43%) | Age, educational status, knowledge of COVID-19 | Attitudes towards COVID-19, gender, employment status, monthly income | Good |
Kamara et al. 2020 [38] | Sierra Leone | Disease resembling COVID-19 with lower risk of death Disease resembling Ebola virus disease with lower risk of infection | General adult population: two villages with contrasting experiences of EVD outbreak in 2014–15 | Cross-sectional Qualitative data An experimental game devised to encourage villagers to talk comparatively about infection risks. Each iteration of the game took about 15 min to complete | Overall, there was a higher preference (52% of all responses) for “mango” (representing EVD). Disease “orange” (representing Covid-19) attracted just over a quarter (27%) of all responses. Players finding no difference between the two disease models accounted for 21% of all responses | A disease’s responsiveness to community infection prevention and control measures Confidence in the possibility of a cure Disease infection risk Disease fatality risk | Gender differences in preferences were not statistically significant | Good |
Kaponda et al. 2019 [66] | Malawi | Cholera | General adult population: suspected cholera patients | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Interviewer-administered questionnaire | Perceived likelihood (total): low 40.7% moderate 34.7% high 24.6% Perceived likelihood (among patients with contaminated water sources at home (200 + cfu/100 ml): 22% reported low risk to themselves and that their communities were well-prepared to respond to future cholera outbreaks | None | None | Good |
Kasereka and Hawkes 2019 [50] | Democratic Republic of Congo | Ebola virus disease | General adult population and health professionals residing/working in communities affected by EVD outbreak | Cross-sectional study Mixed methods Focus group discussions Interviewer-administered questionnaire | Affective response: 91% reported they were worried about Ebola | None | None | Acceptable |
Kasereka et al. 2019 [70] | Democratic Republic of Congo | Ebola virus disease | General adult population and health professionals residing/working in communities affected by EVD outbreak | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Interviewer-administered questionnaire | Affective response: worried about Ebola 90% of all respondents; 90% of vaccinated and 90% of unvaccinated respondents Perceived likelihood: Total 43% high 15% intermediate 38% low 3% I don't know Vaccinated 21% high 13% intermediate 64% low 1% I don't know Unvaccinated 64% high 17% intermediate 14% low 5% I don't know P-value < 0.001 | Vaccination against EVD | None | Acceptable |
Khowaja et al. 2011 [71] | Pakistan | Pandemic influenza A (H1N1) | Health professionals: medical students | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Self-administered questionnaire | 62.6% were worried about the current global outbreak of H1N1 40.9% perceived disease as fatal, 29.8% perceived disease as severely dangerous, 15.7% moderately dangerous, 5.1% mildly dangerous, 8.6% unknown | None | None | Acceptable |
Mohamed et al. 2017 [112] | Sudan | Ebola virus disease | General adult population: rural residents | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Interviewer-administered questionnaire | 76.3% perceived EVD as so dangerous, 17.5% as dangerous, 3.3% somehow dangerous, 1.1% not dangerous, 0.3% not at all dangerous, 1.5% unknown | None | None | Good |
Murele et al. 2014 [113] | Nigeria | Poliomyelitis | General adult population: opinion and religious leaders; parents identified to have persistently refused or accepted vaccination and leaders of community-based organizations | Cross-sectional Qualitative data In-depth interviews | Some of the non-acceptors indicated that nobody was at risk. A few of the respondents mentioned that children were at risk, while others indicated that they do not know who is at risk. Most of the acceptors noted that anyone could fall victim of the virus, but the effects are most typical of children | Vaccine acceptance | None | Poor |
Ogoina et al. 2016 [83] | Nigeria | Ebola virus disease | Health professionals: clinical and non-clinical health workers at hospitals | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Self-administered questionnaire | 24.5% rated their fear of EVD 10 out of 10 (highest level of fear) while 19.6% rated their fear 5 out of 10 and 9.8% rated their fear as 1 out of 10. About 40% of respondents expressed fear ratings of EVD of greater or equal to 7 out of 10. There was no professional difference in rating of fear (categories: Doctor–Nurse–Other Health/Paramedical–Non-Medical Health Workers—P > 0.05) | None | None | Acceptable |
Olowookere et al. 2015 [80] | Nigeria | Ebola virus disease | Health professionals: clinical and non-clinical health workers | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Self-administered questionnaire | Consider self to be at risk: 39% agree, 42.8% disagree, 18.2% undecided Consider health workers prone to EVD: 75.8% agree, 12.7% disagree, 11.5% undecided | None | None | |
Ozioko et al. 2018 [56] | Nigeria | Zoonotic infections | General adult population: bushmeat traders and hunters | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Interviewer-administered questionnaire | Bushmeat hunters: yes 47.1%, no 52.9% Bushmeat traders: yes 71.4% no 28.6% P = 0.36 | None | None | Good |
Philavong et al. 2020 [65] | Lao | Zoonotic infections | General adult population: market vendors (vegetable, livestock and bushmeat) | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Interviewer-administered questionnaire | 72%of vendors considered that their job did not put their health at risk, highest among bushmeat vendors compared to vegetable or livestock vendors The proportion of vendors who reported that they had “no risk” was higher when asked about their personal risk compared to when they were asked about risk in general, and this was consistent for vegetable vendors (chi-square test, P < 0.001), livestock meat vendors (chi-square test, P = 0.055) and bushmeat vendors (chi-square test, P = 0.0037) | Number of education years Belief in safety and quality of products sold | None | Good |
Rizwan et al. 2020 [42] | Pakistan | COVID-19 | General adult population: attending a children’s hospital during a lockdown | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Interviewer-administered questionnaire | How likely you feel you can catch this infection? 59.2% likely/very likely—12.2% neutral—28.6% less likely/very less likely How likely you feel your family members can catch this infection? 52.2% likely/very likely—13.5% neutral—34.3% less likely/very less likely How likely you feel that average Pakistani can suffer from this virus? 58% likely/very likely—19.2% neutral—22.8% less likely/very less likely How likely corona virus infection can be serious? 67.5% likely/very likely—11.2% neutral—21.3% less likely/very less likely What is the chance you have serious complications/death if you get infected? 52.2% likely/very likely—16.1% neutral—31.7% less likely/very less likely What is the chance your family member gets serious infection or die because of corona virus? 37.1% likely/very likely—21% neutral—41.8% less likely/very less likely | Age | None | Acceptable |
Schaetti et al. 2013 [41] | Democratic Republic of Congo Kenya Tanzania (Zanzibar) | Cholera | General adult population | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Interviewer-administered questionnaire | The majority of respondents acknowledge no difference between women and men, adult and children or rich and poor, except in Kenya, where 50.7% report children are more at risk than adults, and 52.2% report the poor are more at risk than the rich Perceived severity: 81.1% DRC, 91.3% Kenya, 96.6% Zanzibar Potential fatality without treatment: 99.7% DRC, 49.9% Kenya, 77.5% Zanzibar (P-value < 00.001) | Urban vs. rural setting | Gender | Acceptable |
Schmidt-Hellerau et al. 2020 [61] | Sierra Leone | Ebola virus disease | General adult population, including home-based caregivers of suspected Ebola patients (usually family members) | Cross-sectional study Mixed methods Interviewer-administered questionnaire In-depth interviews | 43% perceived themselves as being at risk of getting Ebola in the next 6 months | None | None | Good |
Sengeh et al. 2020 [114] | Sierra Leone | COVID-19 | General adult population | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Interviewer-administered questionnaire | 75% perceived themselves to be at moderate-great risk (95% CI 64.7 to 82.5) | None | None | Good |
Shabani et al. 2015 [46] | Tanzania | Rift Valley Fever (RVF) | General adult population: residents in areas that reported the highest number of RVF cases during the 2007 outbreak | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Interviewer-administered questionnaire | 63.2% of respondents reported to be personally at risk of contracting RVF 90.3% agreed that RVF was a serious disease | None | None | Good |
Shakeel et al. 2020 [82] | Pakistan | COVID-19 | Health professionals—clinical staff | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Self-administered questionnaire | Perceived severity: 73.42% agree/strongly agree—10.13% disagree/strongly disagree—16.43% neutral | None | None | Good |
Tadesse et al. 2020 [115] | Ethiopia | COVID-19 | Health professionals—clinical staff: nurses | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Self-administered questionnaire | Perceived likelihood: 64.6% agree/strongly agree—14.5% neutral, 20.8% disagree/strongly disagree Affective response: 65.2% agree/strongly agree—15.2% neutral, 65.2% disagree/strongly disagree | None | None | Poor |
ul Haq et al. 2020 [116] | Pakistan | COVID-19 | General adult population | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Self-administered questionnaire | The majority of the respondents associated the highest risk with COVID-19 (unable to ascertain exact value from the paper) | Urban vs. rural setting | None | Acceptable |
Usifoh et al. 2019 [49] | Nigeria | Lassa fever | General adult population: staff and students at the University of Benin, Nigeria | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Self-administered questionnaire | Perceived likelihood: Staff: 4% no response, 75.7% very seriously, 12% slightly serious, 8.3% not very serious Student: 2% no response, 69.7% very seriously, 20.7% slightly serious, 7.7% not very serious Perceived severity: Staff: 2.7% no response, 83% very serious, 9% slightly serious, 3.7% not very serious, 1.7% not sure Student: 2.3% no response, 76.7% very serious, 14.3% slightly serious, 4% not very serious, 2.7% not sure | None | None | Good |
Usuwa et al. 2020 [44] | Nigeria | Lassa fever | General adult population: residents of communities affected by a Lassa fever outbreak | Cross-sectional study Quantitative data Interviewer-administered questionnaire | Perceived susceptibility in the absence of preventive measures: Would you be susceptible: 60.74% certainly yes, 22.7% probably yes, 6.13% neutral, 4.91% probably not, 5.52% certainly not Chances of contracting illness: 41.10% very large chance, 29.75% large chance, 10.74% neutral, 12.27% small chance, 6.13% very small chance Perceived severity of illness: In general: 73.31% very serious, 19.63% serious, 0.92% neutral, 3.37% slightly not serious, 2.76% not serious at all If contracted by respondent: 90.8% very serious, 7.06% serious, 1.23% neutral, 0.31% slightly not serious, 0.61% not serious at all | Knowledge of Lassa fever | None | Good |
Winters et al. 2020 [68] | Sierra Leone | Ebola virus disease | General adult population | Longitudinal study (3 repeated cross-sectional surveys, different respondents in each survey) Quantitative data Interviewer-administered questionnaire | Between 50 and 69% of respondents expressed some level of risk perception during the first survey in the four regions. This decreased during the second survey for all regions apart from the Northern Province | Education, area of residence, time of survey in relation to outbreak, gender, age, knowledge of EVD, EVD misconceptions, handwashing, avoiding burials, type and number of information sources | Type of information sources, religion, avoiding physical contact with Ebola-suspects | Good |
Xu et al. 2019 [55] | Myanmar | Dengue fever | General adult population: 3 villages with zero, low and high dengue fever incidence | Cross-sectional study Mixed methods Interviewer-administered questionnaire In-depth interviews | Perceived risk (likelihood and severity combined): Total: easy to contract dengue 15.8%, not easy/impossible to contract dengue 5.8%, serious illness 27.8%, deadly disease 24.7%, do not know/no response 68.7% Village 1 (zero incidence): easy to contract dengue 12.9%, not easy/impossible to contract dengue 9.1%, serious illness 27.3%, deadly disease 21.2%, do not know/no response 67.4% Village 2 (low incidence): easy to contract dengue 18.6%, not easy/impossible to contract dengue 4.7%, serious illness 30.2%, deadly disease 27.9%, do not know/no response 60.5% Village 3 (high incidence): easy to contract dengue 19.0%, not easy/impossible to contract dengue 1.2%, serious illness 27.4%, deadly disease 28.6%, do not know/no response 75% Among key informants: higher perception of dengue fever as a serious or deadly disease in villages 2 and 3 compared to village 1 | None | None | Good |
Xu et al. 2020 [52] | Myanmar | Dengue fever | General adult population: displaced and non-displaced persons | Cross-sectional study Mixed methods Interviewer-administered questionnaire In-depth interviews | Perceived risk (likelihood and severity combined): Total: easy to contract dengue 47.3%, not easy/impossible to contract dengue 42.6%, serious illness 98.4%, deadly disease 98.1%, do not know/no response 10.1% IDP: easy to contract dengue 38.7%, not easy/impossible to contract dengue 51.1%, serious illness 97.8%, deadly disease 97.8%, do not know/no response 10.2% Host community: easy to contract dengue 57%, not easy/impossible to contract dengue 33.1%, serious illness 99.2%, deadly disease 98.3%, do not know/no response 9.9% Higher risk perception among key informants in camp compared to health workers interviewed | None | None | Good |