Managing the Ebola Outbreak and Media Perception of Disease

In an age of social media and widespread Internet access, the global impact of disease can often be inflated. The media's use of extreme language and worst-case scenarios is not without its benefits — it can increase the attention placed on rare or new diseases, which in turn can boost funding, accelerate research and spread necessary aid to poor countries struggling with outbreaks. However, the skewed presentation of information can also distort the public's perception of the risk a disease poses, so it is important to keep the actual impact of an outbreak in perspective.