Are we joining the One Health dots? A scoping review of research on the one health effects of extreme weather events in eastern Australia

TL;DR

This paper reviews research on how extreme weather events in eastern Australia affect human, animal, and ecosystem health, highlighting gaps in understanding and the need for more comprehensive studies.

Contribution

The study provides a scoping review of One Health research on extreme weather events in eastern Australia, identifying key gaps and areas for future research.

Findings

Research on extreme weather events in eastern Australia is limited, with a focus on floods and bushfires.

Studies often overlook the full scope of One Health, focusing more on physical health than social and mental well-being.

There is a need for broader research across different weather events and health domains to improve emergency response strategies.

Abstract

Extreme weather events such as floods, bushfires, cyclones, and drought, are projected to increase in eastern Australia. Understanding how these events influence the combined, sustainable well-being of humans, animals, and ecosystems – that is One Health – will enable development of transdisciplinary and ultimately more effective interventions. A scoping review was conducted to explore the research associated with the effects of extreme weather events in eastern Australia using a One Health lens, specifically identifying the type of extreme weather events studied, the research conducted in the context of One Health, and gaps to inform improved One Health implementation. The review followed JBI guidelines (based on PRISMA). Eligible research was peer-reviewed, in English, and published since 2007, in which primary research studies investigated the impact of extreme weather events in eastern Australia on at least two of ecosystems, human health, and animal health. Using structured search terms, six databases were searched. Following removal of duplicates, 870 records were screened by two reviewers. Eleven records were eligible for data extraction and charting. The scope of extreme weather events studied was relatively limited, with studies in flood and bushfire settings predominating, but relatively little research on cyclones. Major health themes included more than the impact of extreme weather events on physical health (zoonotic and vector-borne diseases) through investigation of social well-being and mental health in the context of the human-animal bond in evacuation behaviors and drought. Research gaps include studies across a broader range of extreme weather events and health topics, as well as a more comprehensive approach to including the impacts of extreme weather events on all three domains of One Health. The limited research focus inevitably translates to limited recommendations for policy, planning and response to manage extreme weather event emergencies. Given the expected increase in frequency of these events, there is a critical need for more comprehensive primary research to better identify strategies and facilitate implementation of One Health promotion for improved outcomes in extreme weather event emergencies.

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