Submission ID 130656
| Issue/Objective | Bushmeat consumption persists in urban Democratic Republic of Congo despite known zoonotic disease risks. While knowledge has been studied as a determinant, the role of economic constraints remains largely unexplored. This study examines how multidimensional poverty influences household bushmeat consumption across six urban provinces, with implications for One Health interventions addressing zoonotic disease risk. |
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| Methodology/Approach | Using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, we surveyed 505 households (1,482 participants). We developed a multidimensional poverty index adapted for urban contexts, combining monthly income, housing quality, and ownership of modern assets. Logistic regression models test associations between poverty quintiles and consumption, adjusting for province and household size. To understand mechanisms, we conducted 16 focus group discussions with hunters, vendors, and consumers to explore economic decision-making and narratives of necessity. |
| Results | Preliminary descriptive findings show 33.7% of households consumed bushmeat, with substantial provincial variation (4.7% to 69.2%). Initial qualitative coding reveals that participants possess clear awareness of zoonotic risks yet describe consumption as driven by economic necessity rather than knowledge gaps. Representative quotes include: "We know it's risky, but we have no choice." Emerging themes center on housing precarity and income constraints as structural barriers making bushmeat economically rational despite health knowledge. |
| Discussion/Conclusion | These findings challenge existing health education paradigms. They suggest that One Health interventions must move beyond simple risk communication to integrate social protection programs that address upstream socioeconomic determinants to meaningfully reduce zoonotic disease exposure in resource-constrained urban settings. |
| Presenters and Affiliations | Oum El Hanae El Kraid Independent Researcher Oum El Hanae El Kraid Independent Researcher Stéphanie Maltais Department of Health Management, Evaluation and Policy, School of Public Health, Université de Montréal Rolly Nzau Paku National Pedagogical University - Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Justin Masumu Mulumbu Central Veterinary Laboratory of Kinshasa |
