Hysteria Outbreak Investigation in Kombolcha Town Among School Girls, Northwest Ethiopia, January, 2013

Mastewal Worku Lake; Mulugeta Mebratu Erku; Hiwot Amara Hailu; Adamu Addise Nuramo

doi:doi:10.11648/j.sjph.20160401.15

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Hysteria Outbreak Investigation in Kombolcha Town Among School Girls, Northwest Ethiopia, January, 2013

Mastewal Worku Lake, Mulugeta Mebratu Erku, Hiwot Amara Hailu, Adamu Addise Nuramo

Published in Science Journal of Public Health (Volume 4, Issue 1)

Received: 26 December 2015 Accepted: 5 January 2016 Published: 29 January 2016

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Abstract

Hysteria described for more than 600 years in a variety of cultures and settings for significant adverse of public health consequences and economic implications. The aim of this study was to investigate the outbreak, determine possible risk factors and guide intervention measures. In December 25, 2012, district health office notified to Regional Health Bureau about a suspected hysteria outbreak at Kombolcha General primary school. We investigated all 50 cases and compared with 100 matched controls. For the study, detailed discussions were also undertaken with school principal, teachers, students’ parents, district health officers and administrators about the event. Then data was analyzed using Epi Info version 7. Fifty cases and no death were identified. The mean age of all cases and controls was 13 with a range 9- 16 year. All were girls, and mostly friends (75%). The overall attack rate of the cases were 32 per 1000 populations in all age group. Using multivariate analysis, illness were remained as risk factors, perceive evil devil force (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) 5.3 with 95% CI 2.3-12), psycho stress (AOR) 2.6, 95% CI 1.14-5.72) and seeing the affected students (AOR) 2.9; 95% CI 1.1-7.78). Knowledge of modes of transmission illness (AOR) 0.48, 95% CI 0.24-0.96) and separation of girls from the environment at least for 1-2 weeks (AOR) 0.49, (95% CI 0.22-0.98) were remained as protective factors for the illness. The study confirmed the hysteria outbreak in Kombolcha Town of school girls at General Primary school. And threatening situation was associated with a socio-cultural belief with psycho stress. We recommended conducting immediate reassurance, separate therapy, create community awareness about the illness and counseling at the school could be possible to manage events.

Published in	Science Journal of Public Health (Volume 4, Issue 1)
DOI	10.11648/j.sjph.20160401.15
Page(s)	37-42
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2016. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Hysteria, Primary Schoolgirls, Outbreak, Kombolcha, Ethiopia

References

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[20]	Gallay, A, Van Loock, F, Demarest, S, Van der Heyden, JJans, B (2002). Belgian coca-cola-related outbreak: intoxication, mass sociogenic illness, or both. Am. J. Epidemiol. (2002) 155 (2): 140-147.
[21]	Manohar Dhadphale, S. P. Shaikh (1983). Epidemic Hysteria in a Zambian School: “The Mysterious Madness of Mwinilunga”. Brit. I. Psychiat. (1983), 142, 85-88.
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Mastewal Worku Lake, Mulugeta Mebratu Erku, Hiwot Amara Hailu, Adamu Addise Nuramo. (2016). Hysteria Outbreak Investigation in Kombolcha Town Among School Girls, Northwest Ethiopia, January, 2013. Science Journal of Public Health, 4(1), 37-42. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20160401.15

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ACS Style

Mastewal Worku Lake; Mulugeta Mebratu Erku; Hiwot Amara Hailu; Adamu Addise Nuramo. Hysteria Outbreak Investigation in Kombolcha Town Among School Girls, Northwest Ethiopia, January, 2013. Sci. J. Public Health 2016, 4(1), 37-42. doi: 10.11648/j.sjph.20160401.15

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AMA Style

Mastewal Worku Lake, Mulugeta Mebratu Erku, Hiwot Amara Hailu, Adamu Addise Nuramo. Hysteria Outbreak Investigation in Kombolcha Town Among School Girls, Northwest Ethiopia, January, 2013. Sci J Public Health. 2016;4(1):37-42. doi: 10.11648/j.sjph.20160401.15

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@article{10.11648/j.sjph.20160401.15,
  author = {Mastewal Worku Lake and Mulugeta Mebratu Erku and Hiwot Amara Hailu and Adamu Addise Nuramo},
  title = {Hysteria Outbreak Investigation in Kombolcha Town Among School Girls, Northwest Ethiopia, January, 2013},
  journal = {Science Journal of Public Health},
  volume = {4},
  number = {1},
  pages = {37-42},
  doi = {10.11648/j.sjph.20160401.15},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20160401.15},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.sjph.20160401.15},
  abstract = {Hysteria described for more than 600 years in a variety of cultures and settings for significant adverse of public health consequences and economic implications. The aim of this study was to investigate the outbreak, determine possible risk factors and guide intervention measures. In December 25, 2012, district health office notified to Regional Health Bureau about a suspected hysteria outbreak at Kombolcha General primary school. We investigated all 50 cases and compared with 100 matched controls. For the study, detailed discussions were also undertaken with school principal, teachers, students’ parents, district health officers and administrators about the event. Then data was analyzed using Epi Info version 7. Fifty cases and no death were identified. The mean age of all cases and controls was 13 with a range 9- 16 year. All were girls, and mostly friends (75%). The overall attack rate of the cases were 32 per 1000 populations in all age group. Using multivariate analysis, illness were remained as risk factors, perceive evil devil force (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) 5.3 with 95% CI 2.3-12), psycho stress (AOR) 2.6, 95% CI 1.14-5.72) and seeing the affected students (AOR) 2.9; 95% CI 1.1-7.78). Knowledge of modes of transmission illness (AOR) 0.48, 95% CI 0.24-0.96) and separation of girls from the environment at least for 1-2 weeks (AOR) 0.49, (95% CI 0.22-0.98) were remained as protective factors for the illness. The study confirmed the hysteria outbreak in Kombolcha Town of school girls at General Primary school. And threatening situation was associated with a socio-cultural belief with psycho stress. We recommended conducting immediate reassurance, separate therapy, create community awareness about the illness and counseling at the school could be possible to manage events.},
 year = {2016}
}

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TY - JOUR
T1 - Hysteria Outbreak Investigation in Kombolcha Town Among School Girls, Northwest Ethiopia, January, 2013
AU - Mastewal Worku Lake
AU - Mulugeta Mebratu Erku
AU - Hiwot Amara Hailu
AU - Adamu Addise Nuramo
Y1 - 2016/01/29
PY - 2016
N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20160401.15
DO - 10.11648/j.sjph.20160401.15
T2 - Science Journal of Public Health
JF - Science Journal of Public Health
JO - Science Journal of Public Health
SP - 37
EP - 42
PB - Science Publishing Group
SN - 2328-7950
UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20160401.15
AB - Hysteria described for more than 600 years in a variety of cultures and settings for significant adverse of public health consequences and economic implications. The aim of this study was to investigate the outbreak, determine possible risk factors and guide intervention measures. In December 25, 2012, district health office notified to Regional Health Bureau about a suspected hysteria outbreak at Kombolcha General primary school. We investigated all 50 cases and compared with 100 matched controls. For the study, detailed discussions were also undertaken with school principal, teachers, students’ parents, district health officers and administrators about the event. Then data was analyzed using Epi Info version 7. Fifty cases and no death were identified. The mean age of all cases and controls was 13 with a range 9- 16 year. All were girls, and mostly friends (75%). The overall attack rate of the cases were 32 per 1000 populations in all age group. Using multivariate analysis, illness were remained as risk factors, perceive evil devil force (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) 5.3 with 95% CI 2.3-12), psycho stress (AOR) 2.6, 95% CI 1.14-5.72) and seeing the affected students (AOR) 2.9; 95% CI 1.1-7.78). Knowledge of modes of transmission illness (AOR) 0.48, 95% CI 0.24-0.96) and separation of girls from the environment at least for 1-2 weeks (AOR) 0.49, (95% CI 0.22-0.98) were remained as protective factors for the illness. The study confirmed the hysteria outbreak in Kombolcha Town of school girls at General Primary school. And threatening situation was associated with a socio-cultural belief with psycho stress. We recommended conducting immediate reassurance, separate therapy, create community awareness about the illness and counseling at the school could be possible to manage events.
VL - 4
IS - 1
ER -

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Author Information

Mastewal Worku Lake

Amhara Regional State Health Bureau, Public Health Emergency Management Core Process, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
Mulugeta Mebratu Erku

MSH/SCMS Project - Regional Health Systems Strengthening Unit, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
Hiwot Amara Hailu

Bahirdar Regional Health Research Laboratory Centre, Bahirdar, Ethiopia
Adamu Addise Nuramo

Department of Preventive Medicine - Epidemiology Unit, School of Public Health, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

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APA Style

Mastewal Worku Lake, Mulugeta Mebratu Erku, Hiwot Amara Hailu, Adamu Addise Nuramo. (2016). Hysteria Outbreak Investigation in Kombolcha Town Among School Girls, Northwest Ethiopia, January, 2013. Science Journal of Public Health, 4(1), 37-42. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20160401.15

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ACS Style

Mastewal Worku Lake; Mulugeta Mebratu Erku; Hiwot Amara Hailu; Adamu Addise Nuramo. Hysteria Outbreak Investigation in Kombolcha Town Among School Girls, Northwest Ethiopia, January, 2013. Sci. J. Public Health 2016, 4(1), 37-42. doi: 10.11648/j.sjph.20160401.15

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AMA Style

Mastewal Worku Lake, Mulugeta Mebratu Erku, Hiwot Amara Hailu, Adamu Addise Nuramo. Hysteria Outbreak Investigation in Kombolcha Town Among School Girls, Northwest Ethiopia, January, 2013. Sci J Public Health. 2016;4(1):37-42. doi: 10.11648/j.sjph.20160401.15

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@article{10.11648/j.sjph.20160401.15,
  author = {Mastewal Worku Lake and Mulugeta Mebratu Erku and Hiwot Amara Hailu and Adamu Addise Nuramo},
  title = {Hysteria Outbreak Investigation in Kombolcha Town Among School Girls, Northwest Ethiopia, January, 2013},
  journal = {Science Journal of Public Health},
  volume = {4},
  number = {1},
  pages = {37-42},
  doi = {10.11648/j.sjph.20160401.15},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20160401.15},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.sjph.20160401.15},
  abstract = {Hysteria described for more than 600 years in a variety of cultures and settings for significant adverse of public health consequences and economic implications. The aim of this study was to investigate the outbreak, determine possible risk factors and guide intervention measures. In December 25, 2012, district health office notified to Regional Health Bureau about a suspected hysteria outbreak at Kombolcha General primary school. We investigated all 50 cases and compared with 100 matched controls. For the study, detailed discussions were also undertaken with school principal, teachers, students’ parents, district health officers and administrators about the event. Then data was analyzed using Epi Info version 7. Fifty cases and no death were identified. The mean age of all cases and controls was 13 with a range 9- 16 year. All were girls, and mostly friends (75%). The overall attack rate of the cases were 32 per 1000 populations in all age group. Using multivariate analysis, illness were remained as risk factors, perceive evil devil force (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) 5.3 with 95% CI 2.3-12), psycho stress (AOR) 2.6, 95% CI 1.14-5.72) and seeing the affected students (AOR) 2.9; 95% CI 1.1-7.78). Knowledge of modes of transmission illness (AOR) 0.48, 95% CI 0.24-0.96) and separation of girls from the environment at least for 1-2 weeks (AOR) 0.49, (95% CI 0.22-0.98) were remained as protective factors for the illness. The study confirmed the hysteria outbreak in Kombolcha Town of school girls at General Primary school. And threatening situation was associated with a socio-cultural belief with psycho stress. We recommended conducting immediate reassurance, separate therapy, create community awareness about the illness and counseling at the school could be possible to manage events.},
 year = {2016}
}

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