Submission ID 118561
| Issue/Objective | Climate change and urbanization have been associated with proliferating rat populations in cities globally, presenting increased public health challenges in densely populated settings. As vectors for several diseases transmissible to people, rats can pose considerable health risks. The interplay of rising temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, urban infrastructure, and urbanizing human populations enhances the ecological suitability of habitats and food sources for rats, facilitating their proliferation through extended breeding seasons and altered population dynamics. Complex interactions among human, animal, and environmental systems shape rodent-associated health risks. Yet, conventional pest control strategies frequently neglect the social-ecological determinants (e.g.,climate change, housing conditions, infrastructure disparities, inequities, and behaviours) that inform human-rat interactions (HRIs) and their health risks, including their uneven distribution across urban neighbourhoods. It is projected that approximately 68% of the global population will reside in urban areas by 2050, thus a holistic understanding of current and future rat-associated risks is imperative. Such an understanding should include addressing existing data gaps to inform equitable and climate-responsive public health interventions that promote healthy urban environments. Adopting an interdisciplinary One Health approach, this study integrates epidemiology, urban ecology, human dimensions, and public health, asking: "How do social-ecological factors promote distributions of HRIs and associated health risks across urban neighbourhoods, and how can these insights inform urban management for healthier cities?" |
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| Methodology/Approach | Systematic literature review to identify variables associated with urban HRIs (e.g.,housing density, waste management, sociodemographic, climate). Geospatial analysis of the distribution of HRIs across Vancouver neighbourhoods to identify factors shaping these patterns. Pest control data, 311 complaints, citizen science, and survey responses will be proxies for rat abundance and risks. Data will be linked to census and open data sources, including environmental data (floodplains, urban heat islands). Spatial regression modeling to identify significant social-ecological factors influencing HRIs. |
| Results | This study is part of a doctoral degree and collaboration with the City of Richmond. Preliminary results will be shared regarding factors affecting human-rat interactions with insights into future data collection and analysis. |
| Discussion/Conclusion | This study applies a holistic and equitable approach to risk surveillance to consider the health needs of urban residents under a changing climate. |
| Presenters and affiliations | Christine Yanagawa Simon Fraser University Kaylee Byers Simon Fraser University |
