One health adoption within prevention, preparedness and response to health threats: Highlights from a scoping review

Abstract

Introduction: As the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated, the complexity of factors involved in the emergence of health threats requires a holistic One Health (OH) approach to enhance the effectiveness of prevention, preparedness, and response (PPR) strategies. Therefore, we conducted a scoping review to explore how the OH approach has been adopted in the context of PPR strategies to health threats, and the challenges and benefits deriving from its integration.

Methods: We defined the research questions and a strategy to guide the peer-reviewed and grey literature search to identify relevant articles and documents (identification). We assessed them for eligibility according to predefined criteria (screening) and finally included the ones that answered the research questions (inclusion). We performed a descriptive and thematic analysis of the results.

Results: A total of 138 records were included in the review (57 from the peer-reviewed literature and 81 from the grey literature). The OH approach was mainly adopted in prevention strategies, particularly within the governance area. Human and animal health were the most integrated disciplines in the OH approach, while environmental and social sciences were the less integrated. The most targeted threats were antimicrobial resistance and zoonoses, with the African region being the most represented. Conducive factors for the adoption of OH PPR strategies were identified in resolutions and guidance emanating from international organisations.

Discussion: The global governance of OH should utilise conducive factors, such as international resolutions and guidance, to enhance the adoption of multisectoral and multi-actor PPR strategies, that focus on national and international priorities and neglected threats, such as environmental hazards and pandemic risk. Integrated frameworks and metrics for the implementation and evaluation of OH PPR strategies need to be consolidated to contribute to the growing body of evidence supporting the adoption of the OH approach.

Keywords: One Health; Preparedness; Prevention; Response.

Fig. 1

Flow of information through the different phases of the scoping review.

Fig. 2

Phase of application (prevention, preparedness, response) of the OH strategies.

Fig. 3

Disciplines integrated in the OH approach of the PPR strategies (Others: entomology, food sciences, agricultural and plant sciences, socio-economic sciences, biosafety, wildlife sciences).

Fig. 4

Area of application of the OH approach within PPR strategies, showing multi-country (blue) and national strategies (orange). (For interpretation of the references to colour in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the web version of this article.)