Article ; Online: An experimental game to assess hunter's participation in zoonotic diseases surveillance.
2024 Volume 24, Issue 1, Page(s) 342
Abstract: Background: Strengthening the surveillance of zoonotic diseases emergence in the wild meat value chains is a critical component of the prevention of future health crises. Community hunters could act as first-line observers in zoonotic pathogens ... ...
| Abstract | Background: Strengthening the surveillance of zoonotic diseases emergence in the wild meat value chains is a critical component of the prevention of future health crises. Community hunters could act as first-line observers in zoonotic pathogens surveillance systems in wildlife, by reporting early signs of the possible presence of a disease in the game animals they observe and manipulate on a regular basis. Methods: An experimental game was developed and implemented in a forested area of Gabon, in central Africa. Our objective was to improve our understanding of community hunters' decision-making when finding signs of zoonotic diseases in game animals: would they report or dissimulate these findings to a health agency? 88 hunters, divided into 9 groups of 5 to 13 participants, participated in the game, which was run over 21 rounds. In each round the players participated in a simulated hunting trip during which they had a chance of capturing a wild animal displaying clinical signs of a zoonotic disease. When signs were visible, players had to decide whether to sell/consume the animal or to report it. The last option implied a lowered revenue from the hunt but an increased probability of early detection of zoonotic diseases with benefits for the entire group of hunters. Results: The results showed that false alerts-i.e. a suspect case not caused by a zoonotic disease-led to a decrease in the number of reports in the next round (Odds Ratio [OR]: 0.46, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 0.36-0.8, p < 0.01). Hunters who had an agricultural activity in addition to hunting reported suspect cases more often than others (OR: 2.05, 95% CI: 1.09-3.88, p < 0.03). The number of suspect case reports increased with the rank of the game round (Incremental OR: 1.11, CI: 1.06-1.17, p < 0.01) suggesting an increase in participants' inclination to report throughout the game. Conclusion: Using experimental games presents an added value for improving the understanding of people's decisions to participate in health surveillance systems. |
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| MeSH term(s) | Animals ; Humans ; Zoonoses/epidemiology ; Zoonoses/prevention & control ; Animals, Wild ; Meat ; Probability ; Games, Experimental |
| Language | English |
| Publishing date | 2024-02-01 |
| Publishing country | England |
| Document type | Journal Article ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't |
| ZDB-ID | 2041338-5 |
| ISSN | 1471-2458 ; 1471-2458 |
| ISSN (online) | 1471-2458 |
| ISSN | 1471-2458 |
| DOI | 10.1186/s12889-024-17696-7 |
| Database | MEDical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System OnLINE |
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