{"id":5268,"date":"2020-09-04T14:46:06","date_gmt":"2020-09-04T18:46:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/todaysveterinarynurse.com\/?post_type=articles&p=5268"},"modified":"2022-10-20T15:58:48","modified_gmt":"2022-10-20T15:58:48","slug":"linked-together-one-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/navc.sitepreview.app\/todaysveterinarynurse.com\/public-health\/linked-together-one-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Linked Together: One Health"},"content":{"rendered":"

T<\/span>he health of humans, animals<\/span>, <\/b>and the <\/b>environment are inextricably connected. Throughout history the association between human health, animal health, and environmental health has been perceptible, vital, and interrelated. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC<\/a>), 60% of new and emerging diseases are zoonotic, or contagious from animals to people.1<\/sup> Humans continue to coexist with several types of animals such as pets, food animals, and wildlife. Preserving and cultivating these relationships can be beneficial to each species, supporting and promoting each other\u2019s health and welfare.<\/p>\n

One Health is the collaborative effort of human, veterinary, and environmental medicine on a local, national, and global level, promoting the health of people, flora, and fauna.2<\/sup> This concept is not new but has gained attention in recent years due to outbreaks of diseases such as COVID-19<\/a>, West Nile virus, and Ebola. Global events such as climate change, natural disasters, and pollution that affect people, animals, and the environment have simultaneously served to emphasize the utility of One Health. <\/span><\/p>\n

One Health is a multidisciplinary concept relying on the cooperation of professions from different fields. Supported by the CDC and World Health Organization (WHO<\/a>), this initiative encourages medical, veterinary, and environmental professionals around the world to work together to improve global health outcomes, as well as increase knowledge and awareness of the One Health initiative. Interprofessional collaboration provides opportunities for professions with similar but different disciplines to share their expertise and increase One Health initiatives.3<\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n

Working Together: Human Nurses and Veterinary Nurses<\/h2>\n

All members of medical and veterinary healthcare teams are responsible for the health and wellbeing of their patients. Since One Health concerns such as zoonotic disease and environmental harm can affect both humans and animals concurrently, a collaborative approach at all levels of medical and veterinary care can be mutually beneficial. Veterinary health professionals focus on animal patients, which includes the health and welfare of pets and wildlife.4<\/sup> For example, veterinary health professionals prioritize zoonotic disease according to animal-related conditions, whereas human health professionals prioritize zoonotic disease according to human-related conditions.5<\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n

Medical and veterinary professionals may only choose to collaborate when there is a problem instead of maintaining an ongoing relationship.6<\/sup> For example, an infectious zoonotic disease outbreak initially affecting animals may concern veterinary professionals but not elicit the same urgency for collaboration with human health professionals. However, once humans are affected, health professionals may desire to collaborate with veterinary professionals.7<\/sup> This delay in interprofessional collaboration can impede care and treatment for animals and people alike.7<\/sup>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Since human nurses are directly associated with patient care, learning about One Health can provide them with additional strategies to treat their patients at all levels of care, such as improving patient histories by including questions regarding pets, wildlife, or environmental exposures.8<\/sup> When animals receive veterinary care, the risk of zoonotic disease and injury is reduced, since veterinary medicine is responsible for both human and veterinary public health through the control and management of zoonotic disease.9<\/sup> Increasing and supporting One Health knowledge acquisition can benefit both nurses and veterinary nurses\u2014but for this to happen, there must be integration into the respective training curricula. While this can be addressed for the next wave of veterinary nurses, how do we increase awareness of the profession and share the One Health knowledge of veterinary nurses already in practice? If physicians and veterinarians are able to engage in interprofessional collaboration, why not nurses and veterinary nurses? <\/span><\/p>\n

Nurses and veterinary nurses have pride in their professions, which has led to disagreements regarding skills, roles, and job titles.10<\/sup> Nurses and veterinary nurses do not typically work together; therefore they are unaware of each other\u2019s education, responsibilities, and abilities.11<\/sup> However, both professions benefit from advanced knowledge of One Health, and patients benefit from improved health outcomes.12<\/sup> Increasing One Health knowledge through an online, interprofessional collaboration is a possible method to advance both fields of medicine as well as provide opportunities to share knowledge, which may otherwise be challenging to do. <\/span><\/p>\n

Original Research: The Study<\/h2>\n

I recently completed my Doctoral Research Project (DRP) through A.T. Still University, creating a quantitative, experimental mixed analysis to evaluate the perception of an interprofessional, online One Health activity and evaluate One Health knowledge between nurses and veterinary nurses. The Institutional Review Board of Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine reviewed and approved this research study on September 4, 2019. The objectives for the first assessment of this study included evaluating the effects of the professional group (nurses and veterinary nurses), program group (control and intervention), and time period (before and after a collaborative activity), along with their interactions on the perception of collaboration. The objectives for the second assessment of this study included evaluating the effects of the professional group, program group, and time period, along with their interactions on the measurement of One Health knowledge. <\/span><\/p>\n

The research questions were: <\/span><\/p>\n