CNH: Coupled Natural-Human Systems and Emerging Infectious Diseases

以前的研究表明，传染病的爆发与环境变化有关，如城市化、农业变化和随着社会发展而发生的自然栖息地改变。研究社会发展在疾病传播中的作用对于改善疾病的预测和控制是紧迫和关键的。该项目将研究越南高致病性禽流感（HPAI）的爆发如何在传统环境（传统农业实践和住房），现代环境（农业现代化和工业城市）和过渡环境（之间的混乱）中变化。本研究的目的是：（1）测试越南人类引起的环境变化与传染病的出现和重现之间的关系模型;（2）检查社会生态和社会心理变量对传统、过渡和现代社区中个人对高致病性禽流感风险的感知和反应的影响;（3）将研究与夏威夷大学、东西方中心和越南河内农业大学的教育和培训计划相结合;（4）在来自多个学科的科学家之间以及美国学术机构、工业界、政府之间建立新的合作，以及来自亚太地区国家的国际合作伙伴。由于复杂性是规模敏感的，该项目将收集和分析国家，社区和家庭规模的数据。将使用的方法包括实地观察、面对面访谈、地理信息系统、遥感、全球定位系统和统计工具。该项目具有重要的理论，方法和实践意义。制定基本原则和方法，以了解在多个空间尺度上自然和人类系统内部和之间的复杂相互作用，将有助于阐明新的和重新出现的传染病出现的机制。这些产出将提高地方、国家和区域各级研究人员、从业人员和决策者的能力。这项工作将为制定越南和其他发展中国家预防和管理传染病暴发的政策提供有用的见解。几个研究生将在这个跨学科的研究项目的指导和培训。

Previous research suggests that infectious disease outbreaks are associated with environmental changes such as urbanization, agricultural change, and natural habitat alterations that occur as societies evolve. Studying the role of societal development in disease transmission is urgent and critical for improving the prediction and control of disease. This project will examine how the outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Vietnam varies across traditional settings (customary agricultural practices and housing), modern settings (agricultural modernization and industrial cities), and transitional settings (chaos of in-between). The objectives of this research are to: (1) test a model of relationships between human-caused environmental transformations and the emergence and reemergence of infectious diseases in Vietnam; (2) examine the influence of socio-ecological and socio-psychological variables on individuals' perceptions of and responses to the risk of HPAI in traditional, transitional, and modern communes; (3) integrate the research with education and training programs at the University of Hawaii, the East-West Center, and the Hanoi University of Agriculture in Vietnam; (4) establish new collaborations among scientists from multiple disciplines and among U.S. academic institutions, industry, government, and international partners from countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Because complexity is scale sensitive the project will collect and analyze data at national, commune, and household scales. The methods to be used include field observations, face-to-face interviews, geographical information systems, remote sensing, global positioning systems, and statistical tools. The project has significant theoretical, methodological, and practical implications. Developing basic principles and methods for understanding the complex interactions within and among natural and human systems at multiple spatial scales will help to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the emergence of new and reemerging infectious diseases. The outputs will enhance the capabilities of researchers, practitioners, and policy makers at local, national, and regional levels. The work will provide useful insights for designing policies for preventing and managing infectious disease outbreaks in Vietnam and other developing nations. Several graduate students will be mentored and trained in this interdisciplinary research project.