Implications from the health belief model concerning zoonoses-related threat perceptions held by livestock farmers in Nepal

Diseases that can be spread from animals to humans (zoonoses) are neglected health issues in Nepal. Due to professional exposure, livestock farmers are highly vulnerable to zoonoses. However, since there are limited studies, we have virtually no actual evidence on perception and practices toward prevention and response to zoonoses by livestock farmers in Nepal. This study examines the association between zoonoses preventive practices and the threat perceptions held by livestock farmers in Nepal based upon applications of health belief model (HBM) constructs. A descriptive cross-sectional quantitative interview-based survey was conducted with 380 livestock farmers randomly selected from three districts in Nepal. Results show that livestock farmers held primarily strong beliefs about zoonoses based on key constructs from the Health Belief Model (susceptibility, severity, benefits, and barriers with 91.5%, 93.7%, 91.1%, and 41.0%, respectively). However, they described low levels of participation in zoonoses preventive practices, such as handwashing with soap and water (52%-59%), following prescribed sick animal consumption practices (6.6%-17.7%), raw meat consumption practices (1.6%-6.3%), engaging in vaccination practices for livestock (33.9%-38.2%), and maintaining distance between home and shed (2.1%-13%). Based upon these findings, we strongly recommend enacting strategies to minimize the gaps between zoonoses preventive practices and perceptions through targeted communication interventions that include optimal educational sessions to reinforce applications from the constructs of HBM in farming communities.