Psychological First Aid During Ebola Virus Disease Outbreaks

This guide covers psychological first aid which involves humane, supportive and practical help to fellow human beings suffering serious crisis events. It is written for people who can help others who have experienced an extremely distressing event. This guide is an adaptation of the Psychological First Aid: Guide for Field Workers, that includes relevant modifications and adaptations to better respond to the specifics of the Ebola disease outbreak. Ebola poses specific problems for affected people (e.g., stigmatization, isolation, fear, and possible abandonment) and responders (e.g., safety, access to updated information).

Psychological first aid has been recommended by many expert groups, including the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) and the Sphere Project. In 2009, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) mhGAP Guidelines Development Group evaluated the evidence for psychological first aid and psychological debriefing. They concluded that psychological first aid, rather than psychological debriefing, should be offered to people in severe distress after being recently exposed to a traumatic event.

Endorsed by many international agencies, the original Psychological First Aid Guide reflects the emerging science and international consensus on how to support people in the immediate aftermath of extremely stressful events. Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreaks have a great impact on the wellbeing of those affected by the disease, their family and community members and the health workers engaged in treating people with Ebola.