Animal Waste, Water Quality and Human Health

294Animal Waste, Water Quality and Human Healththese issues may results in failure to manage human behaviour (Robinson2003). Participatory action on the part of those being educated may be ofbenefit: until people desire change no improvements will be seen. In developingnations, attempts have been made to provide human and animal health services,including education, simultaneously. In Chad, this technique was used toengage nomadic people because often animal health services, such asvaccination campaigns, had better coverage than health initiatives (Schelling &Berneck 2002). Joint animal sector and public health interventions may also beof economic benefit in resource limited and transitioning countries (Zinsstaget al. 2007).8.3.5 Confounding factors: political, cultural, monetary,access, and climate changeThere is always a political dimension (local, regional, and national) to the issueof exposure interventions, for example, political will/support/leadership, inputfrom commercial and tourist interests and overall provision of funding formonitoring to reduce exposure risks with respect to recreational waters;particularly at high profile beaches. Outbreaks of waterborne disease at thesehigh profile venues would result in negative press and loss of utility and,therefore, the willingness to expend time and resources is greater. On the otherhand, political unrest may disrupt public health programmes and lead tomunicipal services being suspended, thereby possibly causing a decline in thequality of life, and frequently forcing individuals into unsanitary conditions.Fortunately, with respect to the control and elimination of waterborne zoonoses,the involvement of political leaders and celebrities, media, interest groups,charitable organizations and a general increase in public awareness ofenvironmental issues are stimulating an unprecedented level of interest in globalhealth issues, including previously neglected tropical diseases such asschistosomiasis and dracunculiasis (Hotez 2009).Effective water quality management requires addressing not only the physicalattributes of the environment but also the behavioural decisions of the peoplewho impact that environment (Hurlimann & Dolnicar 2009). The ability toimplement adequate exposure interventions can be confounded by theconventions and customs of the people whose behaviour one seeks to modify, aswater quality problems are generally grounded in historic personal and land usepractices. Incremental improvements then require a measure of social change(influencing people’s awareness, skills, attitudes, capacity, or constraints relatedto water quality) (Genskow & Prokopy 2008). Confirming that awareness andattitudes are changing and improved behaviours are being adopted in a