Department of Communication Sciences, Ghent University, Belgium, Korte Meer 7-9-11, 9000, Gent, Belgium(1).
Department of Virology, Parasitology, Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Belgium, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820, Merelbeke, Belgium.
Prev Vet Med. 2021 Mar;188:105238. doi: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2020.105238. Epub 2021 Jan 5.
Macrocyclic lactone resistance in Psoroptes ovis mites, causing psoroptic mange, is emerging in beef cattle. Therefore, diagnostic tools that can indicate macrocyclic lactone resistance should be implemented at farms in order to control these parasitic infections and slow down emerging resistance. Unfortunately, the adoption of such tools remains relatively poor. This study explores which beliefs, and behavioural biases that misconstrue these beliefs, underlie farmers' adoption intention. Five semi-structured focus groups were conducted with Belgian Blue cattle farmers (n = 38). Inductive analysis revealed that farmers' positive attitudes towards acaricides use and risk perception towards acaricide resistance made them rather reluctant to implement diagnostic tools. In addition, farmers' susceptibility to acaricide resistance occurring on their farm was weakened by the optimism and availability bias. Deductive analysis revealed that economic reasons, usefulness of the diagnostic tool and contribution to animal wellbeing motivated farmers to adopt such tools (i.e., behavioural beliefs). However, the loss aversion and time discounting bias weakened farmers' beliefs related to economic reasons. The veterinarian was seen as the responsible actor for implementing diagnostic tools, while colleague-farmers' opinion related to the diagnostic tool was also valued (i.e., normative beliefs). The latter belief was strengthened by the bandwagon-effect bias. Farmers' beliefs about economic costs related to the diagnostic tool tended to hinder adoption intention, while the veterinarian's assistance motivated farmers to implement such tools (i.e., control beliefs). The loss aversion bias also strengthened farmers' control beliefs related to the diagnostic tools' perceived costs. As such, this article provides more insights into the (ir)rational factors shaping farmers' intention to adopt diagnostic tools. These insights might help animal health organisations to design communication strategies to stimulate the adoption of diagnostic tools on beef cattle farms.
大环内酯类抗药性在引起痒螨病的绵羊痒螨中出现，正在肉牛中出现。因此，应该在农场实施能够指示大环内酯类抗药性的诊断工具，以控制这些寄生虫感染并减缓出现的抗药性。不幸的是，这些工具的采用仍然相对较差。本研究探讨了哪些信念，以及误解这些信念的行为偏见，构成了农民采用意图的基础。对比利时蓝牛农民（n=38）进行了五次半结构式焦点小组讨论。归纳分析表明，农民对杀螨剂使用的积极态度和对杀螨剂抗性的风险认知使他们不太愿意实施诊断工具。此外，农民对其农场发生杀螨剂抗性的易感性受到乐观和可得性偏见的削弱。演绎分析表明，经济原因、诊断工具的有用性和对动物福利的贡献促使农民采用这些工具（即行为信念）。然而，损失厌恶和时间折扣偏见削弱了与经济原因相关的农民信念。兽医被视为实施诊断工具的责任方，而同事农民对诊断工具的意见也受到重视（即规范信念）。这种信念受到跟风效应偏见的加强。农民对与诊断工具相关的经济成本的信念往往会阻碍采用意图，而兽医的协助则促使农民实施这些工具（即控制信念）。损失厌恶偏见也加强了农民对诊断工具相关感知成本的控制信念。因此，本文提供了更多关于塑造农民采用诊断工具意图的（非理性）因素的见解。这些见解可能有助于动物健康组织设计沟通策略，以刺激在肉牛农场采用诊断工具。
