Quantifying the interconnectedness between poverty, health access, and rabies mortality.

Area of Science:

• * One Health
• * Epidemiology
• * Global Health Security

Background:

• * The World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), World Health Organization (WHO), and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) aim to eliminate dog-mediated human rabies deaths by 2030.
• * Rabies is recognized as a disease of poverty, yet the links between economic development and rabies control are not well understood.
• * Sustainable Development Goals emphasize integrated approaches to human and planetary health.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To investigate the relationship between economic indicators, poverty, and rabies mortality.
• * To identify factors influencing access to life-saving post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).
• * To inform strategies for achieving the global rabies elimination goal.

Main Methods:

• * Development of generalized linear models to assess country-level data.
• * Utilized Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and health expenditure (% GDP) as economic growth indicators.
• * Employed the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) to measure individual-level deprivation.

Main Results:

• * No significant relationship was found between GDP or health expenditure (% GDP) and rabies death rates.
• * The Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) showed a statistically significant association with per capita rabies deaths.
• * MPI also correlated significantly with the probability of receiving rabies post-exposure prophylaxis.

Conclusions:

• * Economic growth alone is insufficient to achieve the 2030 rabies elimination target.
• * Poverty indicators, specifically the MPI, are critical for identifying populations at high risk of untreated rabies.
• * Targeting vulnerable communities and promoting responsible pet ownership are essential alongside economic investment for rabies control.