Page 68 - GHES-2-2

Global Health Econ Sustain Attributes of Ebola epidemic in West Africa

No handwashing
or soap %

Male with 0.53 Drinking water
secondary piped outdoors %
education % 0.36
0.44
R =0.41 R =0.59
2
2
Health expenditure -0.29 0.43 Latest
in gross demostic Initial
product % confirmed case # confirmed death #
-0.26

Female literate % 0.24

Female employment %

Figure 1. Path analysis showing the factors associated with initial confirmed cases and latest confirmed deaths.
Table 3. Path model fit indices

Fit Indices Statistics Acceptable threshold levels
Chi-square (χ ), df, p-value 6.146, 6, 0.407 p>0.05 (Barrett, 2007)
2
Bentler-Bonett normed fit index 0.973 ≥0.95 (Hu, 1999)
Bentler-Bonett non-normed fit index 0.997 ≥0.95 (Hu, 1999)
Comparative fit index 0.999 ≥0.95 (Hu, 1999)
Bollen’s fit index 0.999 >0.90 (Bollen, 1990)
McDonald’s fit index 0.999 >0.90 (Worthington & Whittaker, 2006)
Joreskog-Sorbom’s fit index 0.977 >0.90 (Hooper, 2008)
Joreskog-Sorbom’s fit index 0.862 >0.90 (Hooper, 2008)
Root mean-square residual 0.034 <0.08 (Hu, 1999)
Root mean-square error of approximation (RMSEA) 0.019 <0.06 (Hu, 1999)
90% Confidence interval (CI) of RMSEA 0.000 – 0.162 Lower CI closer to 0; upper CI<0.08 (Hooper, 2008)

virus’s spread. This study aimed to examine the relationship cases. After adjustments, path analysis indicated that
between Ebola virus morbidity and mortality and potential elevated female unemployment was a predictor for
determinants, crucial for preventing future transmission higher initial confirmed cases. This unemployment,
of the disease, thus saving countless lives. The findings often linked to poverty within the community, hampers
revealed statistically significant relationships between the health-care access due to the cost associated with
outcome variables and behavioral, environmental, and quality care. In addition, a higher number of men who
socioeconomic factors. attained some secondary education may be linked to
Ecological analysis revealed that higher rates of more initial confirmed cases, possibly due to more
female unemployment, increased secondary education increased exposure to potentially infected individuals
among men, greater use of antibiotic drugs for fever in labor-intensive jobs with greater personal contact.
in children, lower literacy rates among women, and Another rational predictor for initial confirmed cases is
decreased sexual activity within one or more years households’s refusal to show their availability of soap at
among men correlated with heightened initial confirmed their place of hand washing.

Volume 2 Issue 2 (2024) 6 https://doi.org/10.36922/ghes.2107