A set of empirically-derived Ebola messages for Sierra Leone

This document presents a set of Ebola messages that are based on the findings of qualitative interviews and focus group discussions conducted in ‘hotspot’ areas of rural Bombali District and urban Freetown (see Figure 1). This field work, which took place between January and March 2015, aimed to provide an empirical basis for developing culturally contextualized messages that will promote Ebola treatment-seeking behaviour. All the messages presented below are derived from issues that emerged through the data, and they respond directly to community concerns about various aspects of the Ebola response and about Ebola itself.