The Drum Beat 830 - Global Health Security: One Health, Many Voices

• 1.Research Participation Influences Willingness to Reduce Zoonotic Exposure in Uganda
  by Laura S. P. Bloomfield, Christopher Tracey, and Edith Mbabazi, et al.
• Nearly 75% of emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic in origin. The literature on behaviour and behaviour change during epidemics points to demographic, psychological, social, and environmental features that influence behaviours exposing individuals to potential zoonotic infections and determining the progression of an epidemic over time. Participatory, community-led behavioural interventions aimed at addressing priorities defined by the community, such as human-centred design (HCD), have been found to be the most effective at disease prevention. This study hypothesised that enrollment in an HCD intervention would increase knowledge retention, influence attitudes, and change behaviours aimed at avoiding exposure to zoonoses in Kibale National Park, Uganda, which hosts some of the highest mammal biodiversity and the highest nonhuman primate densities in the world. Quantitative results showed that sustained willingness to engage in protective practices was significantly influenced by participant engagement in zoonotic research. [Jun 2022]
   
• 2.Five lessons learnt about collecting and using citizen-generated data to tackle Antimicrobial Resistance in Kenya
  by Samatar Abdi
• From a blog by the Project Manager, Africa's Voices Foundation (AVF): "...Our collaboration with the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data focused on generating and disseminating insights on AMR [Antimicrobial resistance] in Kenya using Citizen Generated Data (CGD).....The aim was to better understand citizens' perceptions, views, and behaviors towards AMR, using insights gathered through CGD to formulate key actions for communities, government, health workers, and researchers that build on the National Action Plan. Kenyans contributed to the discussions through interactive radio shows in local languages, SMS, listening group discussions, and key informant interviews....Here are five lessons we've learned from our work collecting and using CGD across Kenya, on AMR and across other public health issues: 1. Trust is key to gathering honest insights..." [Sep 2021]
   
• 3.Public Health Taxonomy for Social Listening on Respiratory Pathogens
  by Becky White and Noha Hassan
• The overabundance of information that was deemed an "infodemic" during the COVID-19 pandemic has motivated management strategies including social listening, which can involve both online (e.g., social media) and offline (e.g., community feedback forum) data. These data can then be analysed in an integrated way to identify infodemic insights. Collecting and organising vast amounts of data in a timely manner can be a daunting task, and a taxonomy can help support this work. Developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) Preparedness and Resilience for Emerging Threats (PRET) initiative, this public health taxonomy for social listening on respiratory pathogens provides a structure allowing an analyst to align data to a search strategy to better understand how the public conversation is changing in relation to a public health topic of interest. [Oct 2023]
   
• 4.Integrating the Social Sciences in Epidemic Preparedness and Response: A Strategic Framework to Strengthen Capacities and Improve Global Health Security
  by Kevin Louis Bardosh, Daniel H. de Vries, and Sharon Abramowitz, et al.
• Infectious disease epidemics are increasingly conceived of as events that require socio-political awareness, responses, and solutions. Based on data collected by the GloPID-R (Global Research Collaboration for Infectious Disease Preparedness) network, this paper analyses the knowledge, infrastructure, and funding gaps that experts in the field contend hinder the full integration of the social sciences in epidemic preparedness and response. It presents a strategic framework for addressing these gaps. [Dec 2020]
   
• 5.From Words to Action: Towards a Community-Centered Approach to Preparedness and Response in Health Emergencies
  by Juliet Bedford, Nadia Butler, and Ingrid Gercama, et al.
• It has been well documented that community engagement is vital for containing epidemics and shifting the epidemic curve. Communities have existing competencies, systems, and knowledge that, when ignored, can lead to ineffective interventions or can cause mistrust, tension, and the perpetuation of disease transmission. Commissioned by the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board, this report advocates for a coordinated and considered community-centred approach taken by all actors across preparedness, response, and recovery interventions to reduce the spread of infectious disease. One finding: Social science needs to be an integral, cross-cutting component of preparedness and response, and community knowledge (e.g., regarding the use of local languages, alignment with public authority structures, preferred communication channels) must be kept at the forefront. [Sep 2019]
   

• 6.Understanding Multi-Level Factors that Influence Risk of Rabies in Ghana: Formative Research in Greater Accra and Upper East Regions
• Rabies is a preventable disease; however, there is little information about community-level perceptions and behaviours that influence transmission of rabies in Ghana. The Ghana Health Service cites RCCE as key for rabies prevention. In response, Breakthrough ACTION, in collaboration with the GHS Health Promotion Division, Directorate of Veterinary Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Health, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and other in-country stakeholders, is working to design communication strategies and salient public health messages to promote rabies prevention behaviours and safe shared living environments with animals among the general population. As part of this effort, the programme conducted formative research to inform ongoing national health priorities designed to decrease the prevalence of rabies and dog bites in Ghana. This report provides data to inform evidence-based RCCE programming for rabies in Ghana. [Jun 2023]
   
• 7.Adaptation, Experiences, and Support Needs of Survivors of Ebola Virus Disease in Bombali and Kenema Districts of Sierra Leone: Formative Assessment
• This Breakthrough ACTION report summarises key findings on the impact, behavior, and stigma associated with individuals living as Ebola virus disease (EVD) survivors in two districts (Bombali and Kenema) that had a high number of EVD cases during the 2014-2016 epidemic. Going forward, Breakthrough ACTION and collaborators argue that a multifaceted approach is needed that aims to not only work at the individual EVD survivor level but at the community level. At the community level, interventions should be wide ranging in scope and aim to dispel misconceptions and fears around EVD. More intensive community sensitisation may be beneficial among communities where EVD survivors live, and ultimately also among the general population. [Dec 2021]
   
• 8.Environmental and Behavioral Determinants of Lassa Fever: A Qualitative Exploration among Communities and Health Care Workers in Tonkolili and Kenema Districts, Sierra Leone
• Despite Lassa fever's endemicity in many West African countries, detailed knowledge of this zoonotic disease among community members is surprisingly low. Breakthrough ACTION, in collaboration with the Sierra Leone One Health Risk Communication Technical Working Group, conducted qualitative research interviews to identify the sociocultural and behavioural risk drivers of Lassa fever in Sierra Leone. This research aims to provide data to inform evidence-based risk communication and behavioural communication programming for Lassa fever in Sierra Leone through the Breakthrough ACTION Sierra Leone programme. [Jul 2022]
   
• See also:
  * Zoonotic Behavioral Resource Assessments (ZBRA) Toolkit
  * Évaluation des capacités de communication des risques et d'engagement communautaire en Guinée [Assessment of Risk Communication and Community Engagement Capacities in Guinea]

• 9.On Pense à Toi [We Are Thinking about You]: An Interactive Media Campaign to Raise Awareness of Zoonoses among Rural Populations in Mali
• To raise awareness among rural populations in Mali about diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans and vice versa and to ensure they have sufficient information to protect themselves, the Breakthrough ACTION project and its local partners initiated an HCD project with the participation of priority populations. From this initiative was born the concept of an informative and fun radio show called "On Pense ià Toi.", supported by WhatsApp groups. According to organisers, Phase 1 of the programme was appreciated overall - both by service providers and listeners - and seems to have had a positive impact, particularly on the propensity of listeners to have their animals vaccinated.
   
• 10.The Context of Rabies in Bombali District, Sierra Leone: Final Program Outcomes Monitoring Assessment
• The Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs (CCP), through Breakthrough ACTION, worked with the Sierra Leone One Health sectors to develop and implement a communication campaign for dog bites and rabies prevention under the broader concept of Healthy Animals, Healthy People. This report summarises results of outcomes monitoring at baseline and endline, and in relation to exposure to the campaign, which followed formative research with community members and included radio, print, WhatsApp, and community engagement activities. Among the findings: There was a decrease in the proportion of individuals who reported high-risk interactions with animals linked to rabies in the past 12 months at endline compared to baseline. Among the recommendations: Continue supporting interventions that shift ownership and management of rabies prevention activities to community members, which may help to increase community accountability for health promotion. [May 2022]
   
• 11.Breakthrough ACTION Global Health Security Agenda Risk Communication and Community Engagement Reach and Recall Assessment Brief Report
• From October 1 2022 to September 30 2023, CCP implemented a Breakthrough ACTION GHSA RCCE project in 21 woredas of 3 regions of Ethiopia: Amhara, Oromia, and Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples (SNNP). The goal of the project was to increase healthy practices by communities and households and to foster an environment that enables adoption of high-impact health behaviours and practices focusing on priority zoonotic diseases in the intervention woredas. This report shares a reach and recall assessment that monitored reach of the messages to the priority audiences, audiences' recall of the messages, and effectiveness of the messages in improving knowledge, attitude, and healthy practices. [Aug 2023]
   

• 12.Trust, Equity and Local Action - Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic to Avert the Next Global Crisis
  by Michael Marshall
• A theme that emerged repeatedly during the COVID-19 pandemic was the importance of trust. When people trusted safety messages, they were willing to comply with public health measures; similarly, it was only possible to vaccinate millions of people in record time when most of them trusted that the vaccines were safe and effective. But the premise of this report is that the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and anyone responding to crises cannot wait until the next time to build trust. It must be cultivated through genuinely two-way communication, proximity, and consistent support over time. The report offers a variety of suggested actions to prepare more effectively for future public health emergencies. [Jan 2023]
   
• 13.Rethinking Disease Preparedness: Incertitude and the Politics of Knowledge
  by Melissa Leach, Hayley MacGregor, and Santiago Ripoll, et al.
• In light of the multiple failures of response, globally and in various national and local settings, to the COVID-19 pandemic, this paper argues for a rethinking of disease preparedness that puts "incertitude" at the centre, examining how preparedness is constructed and how responses play out in relation to the four conditions of risk, uncertainty, ambiguity, and ignorance. By examining the experiences of Ebola, Nipah, cholera, and COVID-19 across multiple settings, the researchers draw out implications for thinking about uncertain futures in socially and culturally grounded ways, as well as about preparedness as a dynamic social and political process linked to diverse knowledges, cultures, and practices. [Feb 2021]
   
• 14.A Health Promotion Approach to Emergency Management: Effective Community Engagement Strategies from Five Cases
  by J. Hope Corbin, Ukam Ebe Oyene, and Erma Manoncourt, et al.
• Community engagement in emergencies is known to be critical, as empowering people to help themselves can save lives. However, the imperative to take swift action during a crisis can be problematic for community engagement. This study aims to add to the existing understanding of community engagement in the context of addressing emergency situations by presenting five case studies, including COVID-19, and analysing the strategies used to develop or enhance community engagement in a systematic way, in accordance with health promotion principles, which prioritise participation, empowerment, and community action. [Dec 2021]
   
• 15.Gender Analysis for Vaccine Response: Toolkit for Risk Communication and Community Engagement Actors
• This toolkit from Breakthrough ACTION offers stakeholders working on vaccine response a guide to conduct a gender analysis. It leads professionals through a process to identify gender-related barriers to vaccine services and uptake. The toolkit draws on existing gender analysis and RCCE resources and offers a case study example and template matrices to collect, organise, and analyse information, with the goal of highlighting opportunities that can be leveraged to enable a gender-equitable vaccine response that increases coverage for all. While Breakthrough ACTION developed this toolkit based on improving uptake of COVID-19 vaccines, it is applicable for any vaccine response. [Aug 2023]
   
• 16.A Guide to Effective RCCE Engagement in Large, Closed Communities: An Evolving Network in RCCE in the COVID-19 Migrant Worker Outbreak in Singapore
  by Dr. Tam Wai Jia
• Intended as a reference tool for community mobilisers, this document illustrates how RCCE around COVID-19 was done in a large, enclosed setting with migrant worker communities in Singapore. The toolkit provides an overview of the various elements of a creative community-led, people-centred RCCE programme and provides guidance and tools for scale-up and spread in other contexts. It explores not only the importance of RCCE but how it can be delivered effectively, even in the context of the "messy realities" of a public health crisis. The purpose is to impart the spirit of community empowerment through its emphasis on building relationships, restoring human connection, and fueling hope by embracing authenticity and vulnerability and celebrating humanity, to propel agency and inspire change. [May 2021]
   
• See also:
  Wet Market Biosecurity Reform: Three Social Narratives Influence Stakeholder Responses in Vietnam, Kenya, and the Philippines

• 17.Africa Regional Strategy on Antimicrobial Resistance Communications and Advocacy
• During the African continental World Antimicrobial Awareness Week 2020, the African Union, WHO, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, World Organisation for Animal Health, and the United Nations Environment Programme signed a joint communique committing to unite to fight AMR. This strategy document was developed to serve as a guide for African countries to improve awareness of AMR and its consequences in Africa, to promote careful use of antimicrobials among key stakeholders, and to support countries to communicate on AMR in a consistent manner. [Jun 2022]
   
• 18.Handbook for Communication on the Rational Use of Antimicrobials for the Containment of Resistance
  by María Senés
• Those responsible for advocacy and communication on the proper use of antimicrobials to combat AMR will find practical tools in this handbook from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) for formulating communication plans and strategies based on the social-ecological model for behaviour change. The handbook is meant to help them: convey the importance of the appropriate use of antimicrobials (e.g., antibiotics); raise public awareness about the importance of obtaining antimicrobials with a prescription in order to achieve multisectoral collaboration to ensure compliance with laws and regulations on this issue; and promote a change in behaviour regarding the appropriate use and acquisition of antimicrobials. [Oct 2021]
   
• 19.The TAP Manual: An In-depth Guide for Planning and Implementing Tailoring Antimicrobial Resistance Programmes
  by Marie Louise Wright and Sahil Warsi
• Developed by the WHO Regional Office for Europe, this Tailoring Antimicrobial Resistance Programmes (‎TAP)‎ manual is intended to be used by anyone interested in using a behavioural insights approach to design and plan interventions to reduce AMR in their national and local contexts. The approach has been developed as part of an overall vision of integrating people-centred research and social science methods into health programme planning and policy. Two separate publications, a TAP quick guide and toolbox, serve as a quick reference to information presented here and provide additional guidance. [Sep 2022]
   
• See also:
  People Power: Using Citizen-Generated Data to Address Antimicrobial Resistance in Kenya

• 20.National One Health Message Guide for Priority Zoonotic Diseases in Liberia
• Breakthrough ACTION Liberia worked with the national One Health platform RCCE technical working groups to establish, at both national and subnational levels, a multi-sectoral approach to strengthening RCCE. As outlined in this message guide, the approach involves ensuring that messages are not only technically accurate and consistent across all communication channels but that they also show respect for community values, communicate care and concern, and consider local context and culture. [Dec 2022]
   
• 21.One Health Risk Communication Training for Chiefdom Level One Health Structures
• Published by Breakthrough ACTION, this training package covers a 3-day, interactive training in One Health RCCE. It was designed for chiefdom-level One Health representatives and stakeholders within the health, animal, or environment sector, as well as key chiefdom-level authorities and influencers. Much of the training content is specific to Sierra Leone but could be adapted to other contexts. Participants in the 3-day training are expected to gain experience in conducting the community-led action (CLA) method and to learn how to collaborate to raise awareness of risks and prevention of priority zoonotic diseases. [Sep 2023]
   
• 22.Evolution and Expansion of the One Health Approach to Promote Sustainable and Resilient Health and Well-being: A Call to Action
  by Elizabeth L. Mumford, Deniss J. Martinez, and Karli Tyance-Hassell, et al.
• A key tenet of the One Health approach has been inclusion of all relevant stakeholders, from conceptualising and planning through implementation and assessment. Importantly, Indigenous voices are also calling for more authentic inclusion in One Health. This call to action introduces and proposes an evolution and expansion of the current One Health approach across scope, approach, and worldview, to encourage broader engagement with and support for voices and knowledge from diverse contexts. [Jan 2023]
   
• See also:
  Characterizing the One Health Workforce to Promote Interdisciplinary, Multisectoral Approaches in Global Health Problem-solving

ENQUIRY: Your priorities, opportunities and challenges!

What kinds of challenges and opportunities infuse your communication and media development, social and behavioural change work? This survey is a chance for you to let us know! We will report back on results and trends so you can gain insights from your peers in the network.
Click here to lend your voice.