Promoting health for all Kansans through mass media: lessons learned from a pilot assessment of student Ebola perceptions

Click on the DOI link to access the article (may not be free).Objective We aimed to assess student knowledge of Ebola virus disease (EVD) and opinions about media coverage of EVD. Methods We conducted a pilot study with a cross-sectional survey and a convenience sample. Results Sixty-five college students participated in the survey and reported a low level of basic knowledge of EVD, high health literacy levels, and Internet and health professionals as sources for health information. Conclusion This pilot study was an important first step to understanding students' knowledge of Ebola, common sources of health information, and health literacy levels. Results from this study highlight the need to improve health communication training and further evaluate the quality of health information dissemination via all communication sources