Bringing social science and demography to the front lines of zoonotic disease and pandemic preparedness in East Africa
The Challenge
The next major pandemic is more likely to emerge from the human-animal-environment interface in low-resource settings than from a laboratory. Uganda sits at the center of some of the world's highest concentrations of WHO-priority zoonotic diseases, including Rift Valley Fever. Yet the social and behavioral dimensions of disease spread, from the cultural practices, structural barriers, and community dynamics that shape whether life-saving treatments are adopted, remain poorly understood and chronically understudied.
Our Approach
In partnership with virologists in ISU's College of Veterinary Medicine and colleagues at ISU's Uganda campus, I am extending my population health and community engagement expertise into an international context. I am investigating the social and environmental determinants of infectious disease spread and the adoption of prevention strategies using field research, community-based methods, and the Community Learning through Data-Driven Discovery (CLD3) framework. This work also includes ongoing partnerships with the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, where projects have included support on anti-microbial resistance communication and rangeland and pastoral policy.
Current Activities
- Partnership with ISU veterinary virologists on social determinants of Rift Valley Fever and WHO-priority zoonotic disease spread in Uganda
- Engaging with farmer cooperatives to implement environmental risk-reduction practices related to mosquito risk.
- Planning for field-based student learning at the ISU Uganda campus, including a proposed Social Determinants of Health course with an international field component
- FAO Rome partnership: co-directing the Dean's Global Agriculture and Food Leadership Program, where students produce communication toolkits and policy materials for FAO partners
Funding & Partners
Emerging stage; partnership development in progress with ISU College of Veterinary Medicine, ISU Uganda Campus, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.