Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1893/18317
Appears in Collections:Biological and Environmental Sciences Journal Articles
Peer Review Status: Refereed
Title: Policy, practice and decision making for zoonotic disease management: Water and Cryptosporidium
Author(s): Austin, Zoe
Alcock, Ruth E
Christley, Robert
Haygarth, Philip M
Heathwaite, A Louise
Latham, Sophia
Mort, Maggie
Oliver, David
Pickup, Roger
Wastling, Jonathan M
Wynne, Brian
Contact Email: david.oliver@stir.ac.uk
Keywords: Catchment management
Drinking water
Knowledge transfer
Public health
Waterborne outbreaks
Disease risk
Issue Date: Apr-2012
Date Deposited: 14-Jan-2014
Citation: Austin Z, Alcock RE, Christley R, Haygarth PM, Heathwaite AL, Latham S, Mort M, Oliver D, Pickup R, Wastling JM & Wynne B (2012) Policy, practice and decision making for zoonotic disease management: Water and Cryptosporidium. Environment International, 40, pp. 70-78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2011.11.006
Abstract: 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.
DOI Link: 10.1016/j.envint.2011.11.006
Rights: The publisher does not allow this work to be made publicly available in this Repository. Please use the Request a Copy feature at the foot of the Repository record to request a copy directly from the author. You can only request a copy if you wish to use this work for your own research or private study.
Licence URL(s): http://www.rioxx.net/licenses/under-embargo-all-rights-reserved

Files in This Item:
File Description SizeFormat 
Environment International 2012b.pdfFulltext - Published Version393.64 kBAdobe PDFUnder Permanent Embargo    Request a copy

Note: If any of the files in this item are currently embargoed, you can request a copy directly from the author by clicking the padlock icon above. However, this facility is dependent on the depositor still being contactable at their original email address.



This item is protected by original copyright



Items in the Repository are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.

The metadata of the records in the Repository are available under the CC0 public domain dedication: No Rights Reserved https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

If you believe that any material held in STORRE infringes copyright, please contact library@stir.ac.uk providing details and we will remove the Work from public display in STORRE and investigate your claim.