Motivation

Research translation plays a critical role in the development of evidence-based policies and programs for preventing, detecting, and responding to infectious diseases. Many infectious disease threats are zoonotic – affecting both humans and animals – so that outbreaks in or interventions targeting one sector have spillover effects on the other sector. A “One Health” approach to combating zoonotic diseases can strengthen prevention of and enable more rapid detection of and response to zoonotic disease threats. One Health is a multi-sectoral, interdisciplinary approach that involves the collaborative effects of multiple sectors and disciplines to achieve the best health for people, animals, and the environment. However, training and other resources addressing the complexity of research translation to health challenges affecting multiple sectors are limited.

Methods

To strengthen zoonotic disease prevention and control capabilities in Egypt and Indonesia, Gryphon Scientific collaborated with in-country partners to develop and deliver innovative training workshops on applying research to policies and programs in human and animal health. We developed a novel framework for research translation in a One Health context to provide a conceptual basis for the training activities, representing the first of its kind to fuse the concepts of research translation and One Health. Using best practices in adult learning methodology and active learning, the project team developed a suite of training materials including case studies based on local research and a systems mapping activity to identify communication pathways supporting research translation. The training materials were piloted in two workshops in Cairo, Egypt and Surabaya, Indonesia with multi-sectoral groups of in-country stakeholders from the research, public health, and veterinary sectors.

Results

The workshops helped build workforce capabilities in research translation and supported the strengthening of multi-sectoral networks in Egypt and Indonesia, thereby promoting national preparedness for zoonotic disease threats. These experiences validated the relevance and utility of the One Health Research Translation Framework in guiding the design of research applications that are locally relevant, beneficial, and effective. Additionally, the workshops demonstrated the value of our training concepts and approach in fostering multi-sectoral collaborations that support effective translation of research to zoonotic disease challenges.

Resources

The training materials and One Health Research Translation Framework are licensed under a Creative Commons license, allowing for free and unlimited distribution for non-commercial use. The materials developed for the Egypt workshop are available in English and Arabic, and the materials developed for the Indonesia workshop are available in Bahasa Indonesia. These materials can be adapted to local disease concerns for other training events or used to develop research translation strategies for specific zoonotic disease issues.