Factors Influencing Veterinarian Opinion on Reporting of Equine Strangles in the United States.

This research article surveyed 250 American veterinarians to determine their opinions on the reporting of equine strangles, a common horse illness. The results show a mix of views, with some wanting more robust and nationwide reporting standards, others believing individual states should manage cases, and many varying opinions influenced by factors like geographical region and perceived importance of the disease.

Study’s Approach

• The study was conducted by administering an online survey to 250 veterinarians practicing within the United States. The survey aimed to gather information about the vets’ opinions on the reporting of a horse illness called strangles.
• Characteristics of this disease, such as its known prevalence in all states and lack of synchronous reporting across the country, were the rationale for conducting the study.
• Given that each U.S. state has different regulations for reporting the disease, the researchers wanted to explore viewpoints around whether national monitoring of strangles should be optional or mandatory, or whether the disease should be classed as notifiable and actionable.

Results and Findings

• Of the participating veterinarians, 34% believed that strangles should be nationally monitored but that individual states should take charge of confirmed cases.
• About 23% of respondents thought that strangles should be nationally monitored and a mandatory notification system for all positive cases should be established.
• A smaller percentage, 9.6%, believed that strangles should be a disease of national notification, while 17.6% wanted it to be notifiable and actionable.

Factors Influencing Opinions

• The survey showed some links between the veterinarians’ current habit of reporting strangles and their desire for more comprehensive reporting. However, this association was not strongly statistically significant.
• Veterinarians who perceived strangles as “very important” or “important” compared to other infectious diseases were more likely to want increased reporting.
• Geographical location also influenced opinions, with veterinarians practicing in the Southwest and West being less likely to rank strangles of high importance compared to northeast practitioners.

Recommendations and Conclusions

• Based on the mixed opinions, the study concluded that a need exists for further investigation and dialogue about the reporting measures of strangles.
• The authors proposed that the information gathered in this study could be beneficial for future policy decisions regarding the disease. By considering the current views and practice habits of veterinarians, more effective and accepted reporting procedures could potentially be created.