About this Resource

The Zoonotic Behavioral Resource Assessments (ZBRA) toolkit is a repository for research on select zoonotic diseases with an emphasis on risk and prevention behaviors, individual and sociocultural drivers, and the policy and communication environment that influences those behaviors. The purpose of ZBRA is to strengthen behavioral research on priority zoonotic diseases in order to inform evidence-based risk communication and community engagement.

Breakthrough ACTION, USAID’s flagship social and behavior change project, developed ZBRA to equip researchers, public health practitioners, government officials, and other implementing partners or stakeholders to conduct behavioral research on priority zoonotic diseases and learn from existing research.

Focus
This toolkit is focused on research conducted by Breakthrough ACTION in countries in Africa that are implementing risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) programing under the Global Health Security Agenda. Highlighted are key preventative behaviors and risk behaviors that cross-cut common priority zoonotic diseases and could prompt a zoonotic event or propagate person-to-person transmission. Insights on individual and sociocultural determinants influencing the behaviors are offered as well.
Research
In the research tools section, we provide quantitative survey questions and qualitative interview guides, by priority zoonotic disease, to explore determinants in local settings. This toolkit arose from the recognition of the challenges in mapping priority zoonotic diseases to specific behaviors, accessing sociocultural research on zoonotic diseases, and conducting research studies on these topics.

Country Profiles
Explore each of the Breakthrough ACTION GHSA countries has a page that summarizes the priority zoonotic diseases for that country, the stakeholders involved in One Health activities, and existing Breakthrough ACTION research. Where possible, the pages also offer a case study explaining how behavioral research was used to inform social and behavior change interventions in the country.

Click on the map to visit the various settings where GHSA is being implemented by Breakthrough ACTION.

Africa Map

WATCH A VIDEO OF TWO CASE STUDIES ON THE USE OF THE ZBRA DIGITAL TOOLBOX (Available in English and French).

ZBRA Introduction and Case Studies

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Introduction à ZBRA et études de cas

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Cross-cutting resources for behavioral research on priority zoonotic diseases

From here, navigate to profiles of the priority zoonotic diseases, an overview of specific behaviors that prevent or create risk for zoonotic transmission, tools for conducting behavioral research on priority zoonotic diseases, or a thematic summary of existing research.

Small goat with his head resting on a rope

Learn more about the priority zoonotic diseases.

A person transporting chicken carcasses on a motorcycle

Explore behaviors and how they intersect.

Access tools for conducting behavioral research.

Read a summary of existing research and identified themes.

2 logos. One for Breakthrough ACTION and the other is Johns Hopkins CCP

This website is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under the Breakthrough ACTION Cooperative Agreement #AID-OAA-A-17-00017. Breakthrough ACTION is based at Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs (CCP). The contents of this website are the sole responsibility of Breakthrough ACTION and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID, the United States Government, or Johns Hopkins University.