Coping Strategies of Survivors for the 2014-16 Ebola Virus Disease Epidemic and 2019-23 COVID Pandemic who are Resident in Victoria, Australia

Abstract

Background: The psychosocial impact of infectious diseases outbreaks such as the 2014-16 Ebola Virus Disease epidemic and the 2019-23 COVID-19 pandemic, and people’s survival required strict infection prevention and control interventions which disrupted their lifestyles, causing various forms of distress. Mitigating these effects required increased resilience, and positive coping strategies by impacted populations. Objective: This study examines the coping strategies of survivors of the 2014-16 EVD epidemic and the 2019-23 COVID-19 pandemic residing in Victoria, Australia. Methods: A sequential exploratory mixed method utilised a nonrandomised method to recruit participants in this study. While the Brief Cope-28 was utilised for collection of data in the online survey, qualitative data was collected via online zoom interviews. A descriptive quantitative data analysis which used frequency, percentages and tables for the closed ended questions in the survey was utilised. Whilst the qualitative data followed the five stages of analysis. Results in Tables 2 and 3 will be reported according to their weighted average hierarchy. Result: Fifty three percent of the 36 participants were women and most were within age-range was 18-40 years. Data which was provided for Tables 2 (N=32) and 3 (N=31) were presented according to the numerical strengths of the weighted averages. Table 2 shows that whilst 97% of the participants took action to make their lives better, those who strategised about what to do equally represented 97% and those who got emotional support were 94%. Comparatively, Table 3, shows that as all 100% of the participants took actions to cope with their stressors, 97% came up with strategies to improve their coping strategies and all 100% of them got help and advice. It implies that though a few embraced negative coping strategies, most of the participants coped positively. Conclusion: The objective of this study was to determine the coping strategies of participants during the 2014-16 EVD epidemic and 2019-23 COVID-19 pandemic. Most of the participants took actions to improve how they will cope with their stressors during the 2014-16 EVD epidemic and strategised about what to do, during the 2019-23 COVID-19 pandemic, all of the participants took actions on what to do and they got help and advice. Whilst most of the participants coped positively a few found it difficult to cope with both episodes of disease outbreaks.  More research is needed into Victorians coping strategies in the post 2014-16 EVD epidemic and 2019-23 COVID-19 periods.