Study reveals major inequalities in global One Health research

A study published in the journal CABI One Health has revealed major inequalities in One Health research.

The new study, which sheds light on global trends in One Health research over the past decade, has found that the volume of research labeled “One Health” has increased exponentially since 2018, and Europe, Asia and Africa have experienced the most marked growth in originating research.

However, there are significant disparities in research decision-making between researchers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and those in high-income countries (HICs).

The study recommends more efforts be made to address the inequalities in decision-making power and to strengthen One Health research capacities in LMICs. These efforts should be complemented by investments in equitable collaborations that meet national and regional priorities.

Utility of One Health approaches to today’s health challenges

One Health is a multi-sectoral, unifying approach designed to optimize the health of people, animals, plants, ecosystems and the environment they share. This approach has enjoyed growing popularity over the past decade, and there are now numerous initiatives designed to help put One Health ideas into practice. The number and scale of One Health research networks have also grown.

Framework for putting One Health into action

On the global policy front, the One Health Quadripartite launched its Joint Plan of Action (JPA) 2022–2026 as a framework for putting One Health into action.

The Quadripartite, led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), outlined six ‘action tracks’ or priority areas in the JPA.

Researchers from CABI’s One Health Hub wanted to not only understand how well global trends in One Health research are aligned with the JPA but also identify existing research gaps.

They wanted a clearer picture too of who is undertaking One Health research and where it is being conducted.

A bibliometric analysis was used to identify relevant literature, and topic modeling was employed to map publications against both the six JPA action tracks and scientific disciplines.

Shifting trends in One Health research

The findings show that One Health research has grown in both scale and diversity. In the last decade there has been a notable increase in One Health research outputs, with the largest annual publication growth after 2018.

There is also now proportionally a larger share of One Health research focusing on topics besides zoonoses. Threats to health such as tropical, vector, and tick-borne diseases, as well as antimicrobial resistance have gradually attracted greater interest from One Health proponents. Moreover, animal health and the environment are increasingly being examined across disciplines.

In contrast, the impact of pesticides and mycotoxins on food safety, and the impact of biodiversity and land-use change on ecosystem health and zoonotic outbreaks, have had 10- to 100-fold less One Health research output compared to zoonoses and antimicrobial resistance.

Global inequalities in One Health research

While noting numerous global collaborations exist in One Health research, the findings point toward huge power imbalances between countries where One Health research is being conducted and countries leading the research.

Much research is focused on health issues in Africa and Asia yet is mostly led by researchers from Europe and North America.

Research institutes in HICs enjoy higher One Health research publication volumes in contrast to their counterparts in LMICs, publishing research across a wide variety of research topics and across all action tracks.

Institutes in HICs wield most of the power when it comes to One Health agenda-setting, meaning LMICs may struggle to drive research priorities that address their specific needs and are forced instead to focus on issues deemed globally significant.

The ability to shape the One Health narrative and conduct research

Dr. Dannie Romney, an author of the research and project director of CABI’s One Health Hub, said, “The inequalities and under-representation of researchers from LMICs are a huge problem.

“They may not only undermine buy-in to the research but may also lead to research being ignored by local entities, or at worst foster resentment and distrust among research communities.”

The authors argue that significant efforts are needed to address the inequalities in decision-making power and to strengthen One Health research capacities in the LMICs.

They argue that empowering One Health researchers in LMICs means giving them the ability to shape the One Health narrative and conduct research that directly benefits their populations.

Dr. Romney added, “In the long term, this could play a significant role in bridging the gap between scientific evidence and policy development when it comes to implementing One Health approaches in many countries.”

The bibliometrics study was conducted by CABI’s One Health Hub and has been published along with two evidence briefs summarizing the findings. The findings will contribute to a One Health research roadmap, to be published later this year.

Provided by
CABI