Abstract for: Opportunities for System Dynamics in One Health research

Zoonotic diseases are emerging at an increasing rate with the acceleration of environmental and climate changes. The importance of environmental health for the prevention and control of zoonotic diseases has been established under the One Health perspective and gained renewed interest during the Sars-Cov-2 pandemic. However, transmission pathways influenced by socio-economic and ecological processes are complex and diverse. Moreover, they depend on the exposure and vulnerability of the local human community. Integrative approaches are needed to address these dynamic and complex systems. Dynamic compartment models, including system dynamics models, can support the understanding and controlling of such diseases. However, recent reviews suggest that environmental factors are not adequately represented in modeling studies. This presentation will discuss findings from a literature review on compartment models published within the epidemiological and health care literature. The analysis focuses on the representation of particular environmental aspects in the modeling of specific diseases and the consideration of One Health policy interventions. Moreover, the analysis will point to potential concrete application opportunities. The goal of the contribution is to discuss the potential and limitations of SD in comparison to other modeling approaches in terms of One Health research on emerging zoonotic diseases.