All ETDs from UAB

Advisory Committee Chair

Thomas Terndrup

Advisory Committee Members

Timothy Nagy

Richard Shewchuk

Pennington Whiteside

Kenneth Nusbaum

Marty Vanier

Document Type

Dissertation

Date of Award

2006

Degree Name by School

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) School of Health Professions

Abstract

Safeguarding animal health is of paramount importance to the US economy, public health and food safety. One of the most important causes of contamination in food products and of food-borne disease in humans is microorganisms that reside in the intestines of animals, such as Salmonella species and Escherichia coli O157:H7. A fundamental knowledge of the epidemiology of diseases, including an understanding of the agents and hosts, is a critical component of early (front-line) detection and prevention of contamination by microorganisms. Front-line detection is provided by animal handlers and personnel working with animals on a day-to-day basis, such as veterinarians. Currently there are no studies which focus on veterinarians and their ability to respond in the event of an infectious disease outbreak. Therefore, the goal of this study was to evaluate the Alabama veterinary workforce, with special emphasis on underserved areas in rural environments. The goal was also to determine the current level of knowledge about the diagnosis, treatment, and containment of infectious animal diseases in Alabama and Kansas veterinarians and to compare the difference between the groups in relation to the level of knowledge in this area. And, the final goal was to evaluate the current opinions of veterinarians with regards to their role in an infectious disease outbreak.

Share

COinS
 
 

To view the content in your browser, please download Adobe Reader or, alternately,
you may Download the file to your hard drive.

NOTE: The latest versions of Adobe Reader do not support viewing PDF files within Firefox on Mac OS and if you are using a modern (Intel) Mac, there is no official plugin for viewing PDF files within the browser window.