Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ, UK.
Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ, UK.
Environ Int. 2012 Apr;40:70-78. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2011.11.006. Epub 2012 Jan 2.
Decision making for zoonotic disease management should be based on many forms of appropriate data and sources of evidence. However, the criteria and timing for policy response and the resulting management decisions are often altered when a disease outbreak occurs and captures full media attention. In the case of waterborne disease, such as the robust protozoa, Cryptosporidium spp, exposure can cause significant human health risks and preventing exposure by maintaining high standards of biological and chemical water quality remains a priority for water companies in the UK. Little has been documented on how knowledge and information is translated between the many stakeholders involved in the management of Cryptosporidium, which is surprising given the different drivers that have shaped management decisions. Such information, coupled with the uncertainties that surround these data is essential for improving future management strategies that minimise disease outbreaks. Here, we examine the interplay between scientific information, the media, and emergent government and company policies to examine these issues using qualitative and quantitative data relating to Cryptosporidium management decisions by a water company in the North West of England. Our results show that political and media influences are powerful drivers of management decisions if fuelled by high profile outbreaks. Furthermore, the strength of the scientific evidence is often constrained by uncertainties in the data, and in the way knowledge is translated between policy levels during established risk management procedures. In particular, under or over-estimating risk during risk assessment procedures together with uncertainty regarding risk factors within the wider environment, was found to restrict the knowledge-base for decision-making in Cryptosporidium management. Our findings highlight some key current and future challenges facing the management of such diseases that are widely applicable to other risk management situations.
动物源疾病管理的决策应该基于多种形式的适当数据和证据来源。然而，当疾病爆发并引起媒体全面关注时，政策反应的标准和时机以及由此产生的管理决策往往会发生改变。在水传播疾病的情况下，例如强壮的原生动物隐孢子虫，暴露会对人类健康造成重大风险，通过保持高标准的生物和化学水质来防止暴露仍然是英国水务公司的首要任务。关于在管理隐孢子虫过程中涉及的许多利益相关者之间如何翻译知识和信息，几乎没有记录，这令人惊讶，因为不同的驱动因素已经影响了管理决策。这些信息，再加上围绕这些数据的不确定性，对于改进最小化疾病爆发的未来管理策略至关重要。在这里，我们研究了科学信息、媒体以及新兴的政府和公司政策之间的相互作用，使用与英格兰西北部一家水务公司管理隐孢子虫决策相关的定性和定量数据来研究这些问题。我们的研究结果表明，如果高知名度的爆发助长了政治和媒体的影响，那么它们是管理决策的强大驱动力。此外，科学证据的强度通常受到数据不确定性的限制，并且在既定风险管理程序中，政策层面之间的知识翻译方式也受到限制。特别是，在风险评估程序中低估或高估风险，以及对更广泛环境中的风险因素存在不确定性，被发现限制了隐孢子虫管理决策的知识库。我们的研究结果突出了当前和未来管理此类疾病所面临的一些关键挑战，这些挑战广泛适用于其他风险管理情况。
