Tracing the roots of One Health principles in nursing practice

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Environmental Health
• History of Medicine

Background:

• The One Health concept emerged in the early 2000s, but its foundations are older, drawing from Indigenous knowledge, 19th-century public health, and figures like Virchow and Osler.
• Florence Nightingale's Environmental Theory, emphasizing environmental determinants and systematic observation, predates the formal One Health concept.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the historical origins of the One Health concept.
• To highlight the convergence between One Health principles and Florence Nightingale's Environmental Theory.
• To identify Nightingale's contributions that anticipated core One Health tenets.

Main Methods:

• Historical-conceptual analysis of Nightingale's writings.
• Review of key milestones in the development of the One Health concept.
• Identification of areas of convergence between Nightingale's theory and One Health.

Main Results:

• Five key areas of convergence were identified: environmental determinants in prevention, environmental stewardship, data-informed decision-making, transdisciplinary collaboration, and continuous system improvement.
• Nightingale's emphasis on environmental factors, data, and cross-sectoral action aligns with modern One Health principles.
• Her legacy suggests nursing's strategic role in implementing One Health locally.

Conclusions:

• Florence Nightingale's Environmental Theory provides a historical foundation for the One Health concept.
• Nursing can play a vital role in the local application of One Health, particularly in environmental health and policy integration.
• Integrating environmental indicators into healthcare and policy is crucial for effective One Health implementation.