PLOS Science Wednesday: Hi reddit, we’re Ruth and Sophie and we investigated how media coverage of Ebola survivors addressed the issues of stigma and discrimination against survivors – Ask Us Anything!

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Hi Reddit,

My name is Ruth Kutalek and I am Associate Professor at the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Medical University of Vienna. My research currently focuses on anthropological perspectives on infectious diseases; specifically I am interested on the impact of Ebola Virus Disease epidemic in West Africa on the health system and how EVD survivors are affected by the disease until now.

And my name is Elisabeth Sophie Mayrhuber, I work as a postgraduate researcher at the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Medical University of Vienna. I am particularly interested in the social dimensions of infectious disease outbreaks and the role of media reporting in emergencies.

We recently published an article titled “‘We are survivors and not a virus’: Content analysis of media reporting on Ebola survivors in Liberia” in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases. In this study we analyzed how one of Liberia’s largest newspapers portrayed and informed the public on the social situation of EVD survivors and in what way it addressed the issues of stigma and discrimination. The analyzed articles have adopted an overall appreciative and empowering attitude towards EVD survivors, however, critical reporting on the effectiveness of stigma interventions was missing. Globally, the media is one of the most significant sources of health information and media can play an important role in delivering health messages to the public and providing a voice for people on their perspective of illness.

We will be answering your questions at 1pm ET -- Ask Us Anything!

">PLOS Science Wednesday: Hi reddit, we’re Ruth and Sophie and we investigated how media coverage of Ebola survivors addressed the issues of stigma and discrimination against survivors – Ask Us Anything!