School of the Environment, Natural Resources and Geography, College of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Gwynedd LL57 2UW, UK.
Prev Vet Med. 2010 Sep 1;96(3-4):252-62. doi: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2010.05.012. Epub 2010 Jun 30.
In order for policy-makers to formulate effective disease control measures they require accurate estimates of the extent and prevalence of the disease. On occasion, obtaining these data can be difficult, as farmers may perceive relevant information as being sensitive to divulge. Consequently, underestimation of disease prevalence may occur due to farmer reticence about admitting to behaviours and outcomes that are considered professionally transgressive. To overcome such weaknesses, this study used a novel social science survey method known as the Randomized Response Technique in order to obtain population level estimations of transgressionary behavior and disease prevalence for the case of sheep scab in Wales. Since deregulation in 1992, sheep scab has become widespread throughout the UK. Previous estimates of sheep scab in the UK have employed survey techniques which do not adequately protect the anonymity of the farmers' answers other than via verbal or institution backed promise. In this study, farmers at several agricultural shows in Wales were asked to complete questionnaires according to the Randomized Response Technique during the summer of 2009. The survey results suggest that 30% of farmers did not routinely treat their sheep for scab. A further 36.5% of the surveyed farmers admitted to having sheep scab in their flocks in the past 5 years. These estimates are both higher than obtained by previous surveys which used more traditional questionnaire structures. Survey responses revealed a strong willingness to reintroduce compulsory treatment measures to control or eradicate the disease. This is the first study to demonstrate the value of the Randomized Response Technique in the context of animal health.
为了让政策制定者能够制定有效的疾病控制措施，他们需要准确估计疾病的范围和流行程度。有时，获取这些数据可能很困难，因为农民可能认为相关信息很敏感，不愿意透露。因此，由于农民对被认为是专业违规的行为和结果保持沉默，可能会导致疾病流行率被低估。为了克服这些弱点，本研究采用了一种新颖的社会科学调查方法，即随机反应技术，以便对威尔士绵羊疥癣病的违规行为和疾病流行率进行人群水平估计。自 1992 年放松管制以来，绵羊疥癣病在英国各地广泛传播。英国以前对绵羊疥癣病的估计采用了调查技术，除了通过口头或机构支持的承诺外，这些技术并不能充分保护农民回答的匿名性。在这项研究中，2009 年夏天，威尔士的几个农业展览会上的农民被要求按照随机反应技术填写问卷。调查结果表明，30%的农民没有定期给他们的绵羊治疗疥癣病。另外 36.5%的受访农民承认在过去 5 年里他们的羊群中有绵羊疥癣病。这两个估计值都高于以前使用更传统问卷结构的调查所获得的估计值。调查结果显示，农民强烈愿意重新引入强制性治疗措施来控制或根除这种疾病。这是首次在动物健康背景下证明随机反应技术价值的研究。
