scholarly journals Views from many worlds: unsettling categories in interdisciplinary research on endemic zoonotic diseases

2017 ◽  
Vol 372 (1725) ◽  
pp. 20160170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hayley MacGregor ◽  
Linda Waldman
Keyword(s):  
Social Relations ◽  
Disease Transmission ◽  
Interdisciplinary Research ◽  
One Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Natural World ◽  
Zoonotic Diseases ◽  
Common Denominator ◽  
Many Worlds ◽  
Human Animal

Interdisciplinary research on zoonotic disease has tended to focus on ‘risk’ of disease transmission as a conceptual common denominator. With reference to endemic zoonoses at the livestock–human interface, we argue for considering a broader sweep of disciplinary insights from anthropology and other social sciences in interdisciplinary dialogue, in particular cross-cultural perspectives on human–animal engagement. We consider diverse worldviews where human–animal encounters are perceived of in terms of the kinds of social relations they generate, and the notion of culture is extended to the ‘natural’ world. This has implications for how animals are valued, treated and prioritized. Thinking differently with and about animals and about species' boundaries could enable ways of addressing zoonotic diseases which have closer integration with people's own cultural norms. If we can bring this kind of knowledge into One Health debates, we find ourselves with a multiplicity of worldviews, where bounded categories such as human:animal and nature:culture cannot be assumed. This might in turn influence our scientific ways of seeing our own disciplinary cultures, and generate novel ways of understanding zoonoses and constructing solutions. This article is part of the themed issue ‘One Health for a changing world: zoonoses, ecosystems and human well-being’.

scholarly journals Prioritizing zoonotic diseases using a multisectoral, One Health approach for The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Grace W. Goryoka ◽  
Virgil Kuassi Lokossou ◽  
Kate Varela ◽  
Nadia Oussayef ◽  
Bernard Kofi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Health ◽  
One Health ◽  
Zoonotic Disease ◽  
Zoonotic Diseases ◽  
West African ◽  
Shared Environment ◽  
Economic Community ◽  
Member States ◽  
Human Animal ◽  
Health Ministries

Abstract Background Zoonotic diseases pose a significant threat to human, animal, and environmental health. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has endured a significant burden of zoonotic disease impacts. To address zoonotic disease threats in ECOWAS, a One Health Zoonotic Disease Prioritization (OHZDP) was conducted over five days in December 2018 to prioritize zoonotic diseases of greatest regional concern and develop next steps for addressing these priority zoonoses through a regional, multisectoral, One Health approach. Methods The OHZDP Process uses a mixed methods prioritization process developed by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. During the OHZDP workshop, representatives from human, animal, and environmental health ministries from all 15 ECOWAS Member States used a transparent and equal process to prioritize endemic and emerging zoonotic diseases of greatest regional concern that should be jointly addressed by One Health ministries and other partners. After the priority zoonotic diseases were identified, participants discussed recommendations and further regional actions to address the priority zoonoses and advance One Health in the region. Results ECOWAS Member States agreed upon a list of seven priority zoonotic diseases for the region – Anthrax, Rabies, Ebola and other viral hemorrhagic fevers (for example, Marburg fever, Lassa fever, Rift Valley fever, Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic fever), zoonotic influenzas, zoonotic tuberculosis, Trypanosomiasis, and Yellow fever. Participants developed recommendations and further regional actions that could be taken, using a One Health approach to address the priority zoonotic diseases in thematic areas including One Health collaboration and coordination, surveillance and laboratory, response and preparedness, prevention and control, workforce development, and research. Conclusions ECOWAS was the first region to use the OHZDP Process to prioritize zoonotic disease of greatest concern. With identified priority zoonotic diseases for the region, ECOWAS Member States can collaborate more effectively to address zoonotic diseases threats across the region using a One Health approach. Strengthening national and regional level multisectoral, One Health Coordination Mechanisms will allow ECOWAS Member States to advance One Health and have the biggest impact on improving health outcomes for both people and animals living in a shared environment.

scholarly journals Structural drivers of vulnerability to zoonotic disease in Africa

2017 ◽  
Vol 372 (1725) ◽  
pp. 20160169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vupenyu Dzingirai ◽  
Salome Bukachi ◽  
Melissa Leach ◽  
Lindiwe Mangwanya ◽  
Ian Scoones ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Political Ecology ◽  
One Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Lassa Fever ◽  
Zoonotic Diseases ◽  
Valley Fever ◽  
Health Service Provision ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Structural Drivers ◽  
Political Dimensions

This paper argues that addressing the underlying structural drivers of disease vulnerability is essential for a ‘One Health’ approach to tackling zoonotic diseases in Africa. Through three case studies—trypanosomiasis in Zimbabwe, Ebola and Lassa fever in Sierra Leone and Rift Valley fever in Kenya—we show how political interests, commercial investments and conflict and securitization all generate patterns of vulnerability, reshaping the political ecology of disease landscapes, influencing traditional coping mechanisms and affecting health service provision and outbreak responses. A historical, political economy approach reveals patterns of ‘structural violence’ that reinforce inequalities and marginalization of certain groups, increasing disease risks. Addressing the politics of One Health requires analysing trade-offs and conflicts between interests and visions of the future. For all zoonotic diseases economic and political dimensions are ultimately critical and One Health approaches must engage with these factors, and not just end with an ‘anti-political’ focus on institutional and disciplinary collaboration. This article is part of the themed issue ‘One Health for a changing world: zoonoses, ecosystems and human well-being’.

scholarly journals Integrative modelling for One Health: pattern, process and participation

2017 ◽  
Vol 372 (1725) ◽  
pp. 20160164 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Scoones ◽  
K. Jones ◽  
G. Lo Iacono ◽  
D. W. Redding ◽  
A. Wilkinson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Disease Transmission ◽  
One Health ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Lassa Fever ◽  
Process Pattern ◽  
Lassa Fever Virus ◽  
To Come ◽  
Health Agenda ◽  
Modelling Approach

This paper argues for an integrative modelling approach for understanding zoonoses disease dynamics, combining process, pattern and participatory models. Each type of modelling provides important insights, but all are limited. Combining these in a ‘3P’ approach offers the opportunity for a productive conversation between modelling efforts, contributing to a ‘One Health’ agenda. The aim is not to come up with a composite model, but seek synergies between perspectives, encouraging cross-disciplinary interactions. We illustrate our argument with cases from Africa, and in particular from our work on Ebola virus and Lassa fever virus. Combining process-based compartmental models with macroecological data offers a spatial perspective on potential disease impacts. However, without insights from the ground, the ‘black box’ of transmission dynamics, so crucial to model assumptions, may not be fully understood. We show how participatory modelling and ethnographic research of Ebola and Lassa fever can reveal social roles, unsafe practices, mobility and movement and temporal changes in livelihoods. Together with longer-term dynamics of change in societies and ecologies, all can be important in explaining disease transmission, and provide important complementary insights to other modelling efforts. An integrative modelling approach therefore can offer help to improve disease control efforts and public health responses. This article is part of the themed issue ‘One Health for a changing world: zoonoses, ecosystems and human well-being’.

scholarly journals Shadowlands and dark corners

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Almudena Marí Sáez ◽  
Ann H. Kelly
Keyword(s):  
Global Health ◽  
West Africa ◽  
Disease Transmission ◽  
Interdisciplinary Research ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Lassa Fever ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Interdisciplinary Research Project ◽  
Human Animal ◽  
And Control

Viral haemorrhagic fevers (VHFs) persist in darkness. The pathogenicity of viruses like Lassa, Marburg, and Ebola is partly explained by their ability to survive on surfaces outside their infected hosts, provided they are not exposed to heat, disinfecting chemicals, or ultraviolet light. Taking these basic virological insights as our starting point, we seek to elaborate ethnographically the links between disease transmission and gradations of luminosity. An interdisciplinary research project into the control of Lassa fever in West Africa provided the empirical prompt for this article, which we then extended through our experience working in the region during the 2014–2016 Ebola virus outbreak. The spectral dimensions of zoonotic exchange and the apprehensions they engender help us come to grips with the complex interface of viral biology and human-animal sociality, and, we suggest, add nuance to global health framings of disease transmission and control.

The Syndemic and One Health Nature of Pandemics

2022 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
João Paulo Magalhães ◽  
Tiago Correia ◽  
Inês Fronteira ◽  
Mohsin Sidat ◽  
Fernando Passos Cupertino de Barros ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Data Sharing ◽  
One Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Political Commitment ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Environmental Determinants ◽  
Capture Process ◽  
Abiotic Environment ◽  
Human Animal ◽  
Health And Well Being

The interdependence of humans, animals, plants, and their social and abiotic environment is highlighted by past and recent pandemics. A good example to understand and tackle threats to ecosystems is the COVID-19 pandemic. A syndemic is a complex and multilevel phenomenon of epidemics interacting synergistically at individual, societal, and environmental levels. Understanding the syndemic nature of pandemics will facilitate the adoption of a One Health approach to improve planetary health. To address the eco-complexity underlying One Health issues, the development of intelligence management systems through a planetary perspective is of key importance. This requires the capacity to capture, process, and communicate data on human, animal, and plant health and well-being, and on their social and environmental determinants. The implementation of such systems will need political commitment at all levels of action, deployment of adequate resources and expertise, reliable and comprehensive data flowing pathways through interoperable, flexible, and secure data sharing systems.

scholarly journals Caring for the Animal Caregiver—Occupational Health, Human-Animal Bond and Compassion Fatigue

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Preston Van Hooser ◽  
Cynthia Pekow ◽  
Holly M. Nguyen ◽  
Dominic M. D'Urso ◽  
Sara E. Kerner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Health ◽  
Compassion Fatigue ◽  
Laboratory Animal ◽  
One Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Stress Factors ◽  
Physical Work ◽  
Human Animal Bond ◽  
Human Animal ◽  
Written Word

Laboratory Animal Professionals experience many positive and rewarding interactions when caring for and working with research animals. However, these professionals also may experience conflicting feelings and exhaustion when the work is stressful due to factors such as limited resources, making end of life decisions, dealing with conflicting priorities, and negotiating animal care priorities with colleagues. These stresses may be further complicated by each individual's self-understanding and emotional investment in the human-animal bond. The term used for this type of complex emotional conflict and exhaustion is Compassion Fatigue. Compassion Fatigue in the Laboratory Animal Science setting is a combination of physical, emotional and psychological depletion associated with working with and caring for animals and their well-being in a research environment. The University of Washington has developed a Compassion in Science Program called Dare2Care which emphasizes self-care and helps Laboratory Animal Professionals identify stress factors and work toward a personal solution to relieve stress. The first step in developing a resiliency program is to assess the current culture and needs of the organization. At an institutional level we identified that we needed increased communication concerning study endpoints, as well as identified individuals with whom affected personnel can talk about personal concerns. We also implemented community events to reflect on the positive aspects of this field of work. We improved the physical work environment, and provided outlets established for personnel to express feelings via written word or artistically. Lastly, we started working with our Center for One Health to encompass a holisitic approach to the occupational health of our animal caregivers. One health is the relationship and interplay between people, animals and the environment and we needed to include emotional well-being in our assessment of the health of our personnel. A question was added to our occupational health screening form to include additional health or workplace concerns (e.g., Compassion Fatigue) not covered by the questionnaire, and we added a component of Compassion Fatigue awareness in our training program. Here we review the importance of identifying Compassion Fatigue in the animal research setting, focus on developing a compassion resiliency culture and provide tools and coping strategies to validate and strengthen the human-animal bond with research animals and to sustain the care that is necessary for both people and research animals.

scholarly journals Operationalising the “One Health” approach in India: facilitators of and barriers to effective cross-sector convergence for zoonoses prevention and control

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
F. A. Asaaga ◽  
J. C. Young ◽  
M. A. Oommen ◽  
R. Chandarana ◽  
J. August ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Disease Control ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
One Health ◽  
National Policy ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Zoonotic Disease ◽  
Zoonotic Diseases ◽  
Policy Documents ◽  
Human Animal ◽  
The One

Abstract Background There is a strong policy impetus for the One Health cross-sectoral approach to address the complex challenge of zoonotic diseases, particularly in low/lower middle income countries (LMICs). Yet the implementation of this approach in LMIC contexts such as India has proven challenging, due partly to the relatively limited practical guidance and understanding on how to foster and sustain cross-sector collaborations. This study addresses this gap by exploring the facilitators of and barriers to successful convergence between the human, animal and environmental health sectors in India. Methods A mixed methods study was conducted using a detailed content review of national policy documents and in-depth semi-structured interview data on zoonotic disease management in India. In total, 29 policy documents were reviewed and 15 key informant interviews were undertaken with national and state level policymakers, disease managers and experts operating within the human-animal-environment interface of zoonotic disease control. Results Our findings suggest that there is limited policy visibility of zoonotic diseases, although global zoonoses, especially those identified to be of pandemic potential by international organisations (e.g. CDC, WHO and OIE) rather than local, high burden endemic diseases, have high recognition in the existing policy agenda setting. Despite the widespread acknowledgement of the importance of cross-sectoral collaboration, a myriad of factors operated to either constrain or facilitate the success of cross-sectoral convergence at different stages (i.e. information-sharing, undertaking common activities and merging resources and infrastructure) of cross-sectoral action. Importantly, participants identified the lack of supportive policies, conflicting departmental priorities and limited institutional capacities as major barriers that hamper effective cross-sectoral collaboration on zoonotic disease control. Building on existing informal inter-personal relationships and collaboration platforms were suggested by participants as the way forward. Conclusion Our findings point to the importance of strengthening existing national policy frameworks as a first step for leveraging cross-sectoral capacity for improved disease surveillance and interventions. This requires the contextual adaptation of the One Health approach in a manner that is sensitive to the underlying socio-political, institutional and cultural context that determines and shapes outcomes of cross-sector collaborative arrangements.

scholarly journals Ethnobiology in One Health

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marsha B. Quinlan ◽  
Robert J. Quinlan
Keyword(s):  
Interdisciplinary Research ◽  
One Health ◽  
Life Science ◽  
Cultural Factors ◽  
Health Needs ◽  
Health Concept ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Human Animal ◽  
Multidisciplinary Perspective ◽  
Social And Cultural Factors

The new One Health concept is, essentially, the ethnobiology of health, addressing the interrelation of human, animal and environmental health. Incited by 2003 outbreaks of animal-borne SARS and avian influenza, One Health’s multidisciplinary perspective complements growing international support for interdisciplinary research and health equity. One Health needs researchers able to integrate social and cultural factors into health-related life science questions.

scholarly journals Practice of One Health approaches: Bridges and barriers in Tanzania

2014 ◽  
Vol 81 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim A. Kayunze ◽  
Angwara Kiwara ◽  
Eligius Lyamuya ◽  
Dominic M. Kambarage ◽  
Jonathan Rushton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
One Health ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Zoonotic Diseases ◽  
Effective Management ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Wildlife Health ◽  
Human Animal ◽  
Upper Level ◽  
Health Programmes ◽  
Health Experts

The practice of one health approaches in human and animal health programmes is influenced by type and scope of bridges and barriers for partnerships. It was thus essential to evaluate the nature and scope of collaborative arrangements among human, animal, and wildlife health experts in dealing with health challenges which demand inter-sectoral partnership. The nature of collaborative arrangement was assessed, and the respective bridges and barriers over a period of 12 months (July 20011 to June 2012) were identified. The specific objectives were to: (1) determine the proportion of health experts who had collaborated with other experts of disciplines different from theirs, (2) rank the general bridges for and barriers against collaboration according to the views of the health experts, and (3) find the actual bridges for and barriers against collaboration among the health experts interviewed. It was found that 27.0% of animal health officers interviewed had collaborated with medical officers while 12.4% of the medical officers interviewed had collaborated with animal health experts. Only 6.7% of the wildlife officers had collaborated with animal health experts. The main bridges for collaboration were instruction by upper level leaders, zoonotic diseases of serious impacts, and availability of funding. The main barriers for collaboration were lack of knowledge about animal/human health issues, lack of networks for collaboration, and lack of plans to collaborate. This thus calls for the need to curb barriers in order to enhance inter-sectoral collaboration for more effective management of risks attributable to infectious diseases of humans and animals.

scholarly journals Addressing “Nature-Deficit Disorder”: A Mixed Methods Pilot Study of Young Adults Attending a Wilderness Camp

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara L. Warber ◽  
Ashley A. DeHudy ◽  
Matthew F. Bialko ◽  
Melissa R. Marselle ◽  
Katherine N. Irvine
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Social Relations ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Natural World ◽  
Rapid Urbanization ◽  
Nature Deficit Disorder ◽  
Perceived Safety ◽  
Nature Deficit

Background and Objectives. Rapid urbanization raises concern about chronic human health issues along with less frequent interaction with the natural world. “Nature-deficit disorder,” a nonclinical term, describes this potential impact on the well-being of youth. We conducted a mixed methods pilot study of young adults attending a four-week wilderness camp to investigate whether nature-based camp experiences would increase connection to nature and promote multiple dimensions of well-being.Methods. Participants completed precamp (n= 46) and postcamp (n= 36) online questionnaires including nature-related and holistic well-being measures. Differences were investigated using pairedt-tests. Interviews (n= 16) explored camp experiences and social relations.Results. All nature-related measures—exposure, knowledge, skills, willingness to lead, perceived safety, sense of place, and nature connection—significantly increased. Well-being outcomes also significantly improved, including perceived stress, relaxation, positive and negative emotions, sense of wholeness, and transcendence. Physical activity and psychological measures showed no change. Interviews described how the wilderness environment facilitated social connections.Conclusion. Findings illustrate the change in nature relations and well-being that wilderness camp experiences can provide. Results can guide future research agendas and suggest that nature immersion experiences could address the risk of “nature-deficit disorder,” improve health, and prepare future environmental leaders.

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