One Health Index Calculator for India Using Empirical Methods for Policy Stewardship: Development and Usability Study

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Environmental Science
• Veterinary Medicine

Background:

• The One Health approach emphasizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health for effective disease management and global health security.
• Empirical evaluation through an index guides interventions in funding, resource allocation, data management, and policy decisions.
• Developing a One Health Index (OHI) calculator for India is crucial for evidence-based governance, especially in low- and middle-income countries.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a user-friendly One Health Index (OHI) Calculator for India, incorporating efficient weighting methods.
• To create India-specific datasets using reliable secondary data sources.
• To identify data gaps crucial for effective policy stewardship and One Health governance.

Main Methods:

• A One Health Index (OHI) calculator was proposed based on the Global One Health Index framework, encompassing 3 categories, 13 key indicators, 57 indicators, and 216 subindicators.
• India-specific datasets were compiled from reliable secondary sources.
• Two weighting methods were employed: expert-based fuzzy extent analysis and a modified entropy-based approach.

Main Results:

• The study demonstrated step-by-step OHI calculation using both fuzzy extent analysis and modified entropy-based weighting.
• An India-specific dataset was created, with data available for 156 out of 216 subindicators, highlighting data gaps for the remaining 60.
• Pilot analysis revealed a positive correlation between increased budget allocation and improved indicator scores, underscoring the impact of financial investment.

Conclusions:

• The developed OHI calculator can serve as a governance tool, promoting data transparency and ethical management.
• Collaborative data federation is essential to address data gaps and improve data completeness.
• Correlation analysis provides empirical evidence for policymakers to enhance intersectoral communication, stakeholder engagement, and resource allocation for informed decision-making.