Willingness to Consult a Veterinarian on Physician's Advice for Zoonotic Diseases: A Formal Role for Veterinarians in Medicine?

PLoS One. 2015 Aug 3;10(8):e0131406. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0131406. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Physicians appear to find zoonotic diseases a challenge and consider that this topic belongs more to the veterinary profession. However, veterinarians have no formal role in clinical medicine. Data were collected as part of the Queensland Social Survey 2014 to determine the willingness of the public, if diagnosed with a zoonotic disease, to consult a veterinarian on the advice of a physician. Self-reported willingness to consult with a veterinarian at the respondent's own expense was 79.8% (95% CI: 81.96%-77.46%) (976/1223). If the cost was funded by Medicare, the Australian public health insurance scheme, 90.7% (95% CI: 92.18%-88.92%) (1109/1223) would be willing to consult a veterinarian. Therefore, a large majority of Australian residents would be willing to consult with a veterinarian on the advice of their physician if they had a zoonotic disease. Does this indicate a possible new role for veterinarians under Clinical One Health?

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
  • Humans
  • Physicians*
  • Public Health
  • Queensland
  • Referral and Consultation*
  • Veterinarians*
  • Zoonoses / diagnosis*
  • Zoonoses / therapy*

Grants and funding

This study was funded by a private company, Tropical Health Solutions (THS), owned by four people including the lead author, Rick Speare. The funder provided support in the form of salary for the author (RS), but did not have any additional role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The specific roles of RS are articulated in the ‘author contributions’ section. THS paid for the cost of the CATI survey (AUD9500) done by CQ University and paid the publication fee for the article.