Bridging Urban Planning and Public Health: Investigating the Relationship Between Land Use Change and Vector-Borne Disease Risks in Ontario
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Authors
Treash, Janelle
Date
2022-09-14
Type
Language
en
Keyword
Zoonotic diseases , Land use planning , Environmental planning , Epidemiology , Vector-borne diseases , Lyme disease , West Nile Virus , Sustainable development , enzootic spillover , public health , urban planning , landscape drivers , habitat modification
Alternative Title
Abstract
Zoonotic and vector-borne diseases are diseases that are transmitted from animals to humans, and incidences of zoonotic spillover are on the rise globally due to several anthropogenic factors which have intensified the animal-human interface in recent decades; reshaping reservoir host communities and increasing the novel interactions between people and wildlife. Urbanization and anthropogenic land use change has been identified as an important driver in this phenomenon, and several papers and reports have been published which call on urban planners to help mitigate zoonotic and vector-borne disease risks by safeguarding the planet’s natural resources and ensuring environmentally and socially responsible development practices. The aim of this report was to explore the ways in which Ontario planners can address this global challenge. A scan of data published by Public Health Ontario identified Lyme disease and West Nile Virus (WNV) as the most prevalent zoonotic/vector-borne diseases of public health significance which involve spillover that is impacted by land use and environmental factors. Then, a scoping literature review of eighty-five peer-reviewed articles and reports from reliable organizations was conducted to derive a thematic summary of the land use drivers of Lyme disease and WNV enzootic spillover. The themes were then used to guide semi-structured interviews with public health and planning experts. The results generated approximately fifty recommendations for planners and policy-makers regarding the ways in which the planning frameworks in Ontario could address the issue of vector-borne disease risks. This study serves as a preliminary step in bridging urban planning and public health towards a multi-target goal of fostering healthier, sustainable communities, from a vector-borne disease perspective.