Ebola Organizational Level

IV. Organizational Level The organizational or institutional level considers the day to day interactions that individuals and communities have with social institutions or organizations, and how characteristics of these can be used towards promoting behavioral changes 12. Organizations can refer to local schools, universities, workplaces, or larger entities such as companies and international organizations12. The cultures and values promoted or enforced by them can shape their member's lifestyles12. Certain organizations can also help spread health promotion messages throughout the communities they have influence on. Researchers studying health communication during Ebola outbreaks, assessed the role played by community and faith-based organizations

These multiple levels of influence among populations are strongly interconnected and produce a sort of domino effect from either direction in which they become disturbed. Not only do these levels influence one another, but each of them can also be influenced by the same external factors. The effects of a single factor can be observed as distinct among specific levels, but ultimately, they all possess the potential to be equally detrimental or beneficial to the population and their health. It is easy to assume that factors of influence among each level might be of a strict negative nature-especially when assessing outcomes related to such lethal situations as are those of Ebola outbreaks. However, it was also apparent through this analysis that some of these existing influencing factors can actually result as

Although some levels appeared to have a more widespread range of influence within these scenarios-such as the interpersonal level-it was observed that they all played a role in either the development or control of the outbreaks. The nature of Ebola virus itself, along with its modes of transmission, make it increasingly important to pay close attention to social networks and interpersonal relationships among susceptible or high risk communities. Looking at it from a very simplified approach, if effective quarantine and isolation of initial cases is achieved, there would be minimal spread of infection through the community. However, in order to achieve this effective isolation or quarantine of cases from their social networks, larger community-wide, organizational, and policy initiatives would also have to be set in place. In order to achieve the level of training and preparation for a community to be able to effectively control transmission of the virus through quarantine and isolation of suspected and confirmed cases, there would need to be better guidelines and protocols in place-which usually result from global research. Strategies to enhance individual-level behaviors and attitudes would also be crucial in achieving effective compliance and cooperation of community