Browsing by Author "Ida, Jennifer A."

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    Biosocial Complexities of Antimicrobial Use in Dairy Farming in Alberta, Canada
    (2020-07-24) Ida, Jennifer A.; Barkema, Herman W.; Wilson, Warren M.; Gerlach, S. Craig; Adams, Cindy L.; Kutz, Susan J.
    Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), or the ability of a microbe to withstand treatment with antibiotics, is an emerging health issue that has been largely attributed to the inappropriate use of antimicrobial treatments. Many of the current research and policy initiatives focus on knowledge translation and behavioral change mechanisms as ways to achieve absolute reductions in antimicrobial use across all health sectors. However, the current approach fails to address underlying drivers of practice and is narrowly focused on achieving a numeric goal. Given the failure to understand the underlying drivers of decisions made by dairy farmers concerning antimicrobial use (AMU), this study sought to understand one community’s perceptions surrounding AMU, AMR, and regulation in the dairy farming industry in Alberta via the use of ethnography. Specifically, this included participation in on-farm activities (i.e., milking) and observations of relevant interactions (i.e., herd health exams) on dairy farms in Central Alberta for a period of 3.5 months. Interviews were conducted with 25 dairy farmers. Nine of these interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. Thematic analyses resulted in four key takeaways. Farmers: 1) feel that AMU policies implemented in other contexts are impractical and are concerned that such policies, if implemented in Alberta, would constrain their freedom to make what they perceive to be the best decisions about AMU for their animals; 2) believe that their first-hand knowledge is undervalued by both consumers and policy-makers; 3) do not believe that the public trusts them to make the correct AMU choices and, consequently, worry that AMU policy will be guided by what they believe are misguided consumer concerns; 4) farmers are skeptical of a link between AMU in livestock and AMR in humans. Based on these findings, a better understanding of the sociocultural and political-economic infrastructure that supports such perceptions is warranted and should inform future policy.