Stimulating collaboration between human and veterinary health care professionals

Area of Science:

• Comparative medicine
• Translational medicine
• One Health Initiative

Background:

• Limited collaboration between human and veterinary health professionals hinders the One Health approach to controlling zoonotic diseases.
• The One Health approach integrates human and animal health for improved outcomes.
• Understanding the social dynamics influencing interprofessional collaboration is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the social dilemma affecting healthcare professionals' collaboration within the One Health framework.
• To identify factors that promote interdisciplinary collaboration between human and veterinary health professionals.
• To apply social psychology theories to understand and improve One Health initiatives.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Gaertner and Dovidio's Common Ingroup Identity Model.
• Designed and tested questionnaires to assess collaboration and common goals.
• Examined the mediating roles of decategorization, recategorization, mutual differentiation, and knowledge sharing.

Main Results:

• Confirmed the Common Ingroup Identity Model: common goals stimulate collaboration.
• Decategorization and mutual differentiation were significant factors in the collaboration relationship.
• Recategorization and knowledge sharing were found to mediate the relationship between common goals and collaboration.

Conclusions:

• The Common Ingroup Identity Model provides a framework for understanding healthcare professionals' perceptions of the One Health initiative.
• Interventions based on this model can improve interprofessional collaboration.
• Professional associations can play a vital role in facilitating the One Health approach.