The aim of the present study was to assess which factors contribute to the lower prevalence of allergic diseases in farmers’ children, and the importance of timing of exposure.In a cross-sectional questionnaire survey, asthma symptoms, hay fever and eczema were assessed, as well as current, early and prenatal farm-related exposures in 1,333 farmers’ children and 566 reference children aged 5–17 yrs.Farmers’ children had a lower incidence of asthma symptoms and eczema. Current and maternal exposure during pregnancy to animals and/or grain and hay reduced the risk of asthma symptoms, hay fever and eczema. The exposure–response association for maternal exposure was nonlinear for most outcomes. After mutual adjustment, the effects of prenatal exposure remained unchanged whereas current exposure remained protective only for asthma medication, asthma ever and hay fever. Exposure during the first 2 yrs was not associated with symptoms, after controlling for prenatal exposure. A combination of prenatal and current exposure was most strongly associated with wheeze (odds ratio (OR) 0.48, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.28–0.80), asthma medication (OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.30–0.82), asthma ever (OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.33–0.76), hay fever (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.30–0.73) and eczema (OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.30–0.70).Prenatal exposure may contribute to the low prevalence of asthma, hay fever and eczema in farmers’ children, but continued exposure may be required to maintain optimal protection.
Considerable advocacy, funding, training, and technical support have been provided to South Asian countries to strengthen One Health (OH) collaborative approaches for controlling diseases with global human pandemic potential since the early 2000s. It is essential that the OH approach continues to be strengthened given South Asia is a hot spot for emerging and endemic zoonotic diseases. The objectives of this article are to describe OH research and training and capacity building activities and the important developments in government support for OH in these countries to identify current achievements and gaps. A landscape analysis of OH research, training, and government support in South Asia was generated by searching peer-reviewed and grey literature for OH research publications and reports, a questionnaire survey of people potentially engaged in OH research in South Asia and the authors’ professional networks. Only a small proportion of zoonotic disease research conducted in South Asia can be described as truly OH, with a significant lack of OH policy-relevant research. A small number of multisectoral OH research and OH capacity building programmes were conducted in the region. The governments of Bangladesh and Bhutan have established operational OH strategies, with variable progress institutionalising OH in other countries. Identified gaps were a lack of useful scientific information and of a collaborative culture for formulating and implementing integrated zoonotic disease control policies and the need for ongoing support for transdisciplinary OH research and policy-relevant capacity building programmes. Overall we found a very small number of truly OH research and capacity building programmes in South Asia. Even though significant progress has been made in institutionalising OH in some South Asian countries, further behavioural, attitudinal, and institutional changes are required to strengthen OH research and training and implementation of sustainably effective integrated zoonotic disease control policies.
One Health is an integrative approach that emphasizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health, advocating for collaborative, multidisciplinary efforts to address health challenges, particularly amid globalization and emerging threats. This paper examines the integration of One Health principles into global health education, highlighting the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and innovative pedagogical approaches. It evaluates various teaching methods, including problem-based learning (PBL), team-based learning (TBL), simulation-based education (SBE), case-based learning (CBL), interdisciplinary workshops and seminars (IWS), and service-learning (SL), analyzing their strengths and weaknesses in fostering interdisciplinary understanding and practical application of One Health concepts. While these methods enhance learning by promoting critical thinking, collaboration, and real-world application, they also face challenges such as resource constraints, variability in group dynamics, and the complexity of assessing long-term learning outcomes. The paper also discusses the role of global partnerships, such as the Global One Health Research Partnership (GOHRP), in advancing One Health education through collaborative research and educational initiatives. Addressing challenges in curriculum integration and interdisciplinary collaboration is crucial for the effective implementation of One Health education, ensuring that future health professionals are equipped to tackle complex global health challenges.