Abstract
One Health is an important approach to global health and governance. The global adoption and implementation of the approach requires accurate and consistent translations of the English term One Health and its definitions and principles into local languages in non-English speaking countries. This study seeks to explore how the term “One Health” is translated and adopted in Chinese and to understand the specific patterns of inconsistency. We used document analysis, a methodological strategy suitable to examine and assess various types of documents including both traditional printed materials and Internet-based content. The data analysis and interpretation involve elements of both content analysis and thematic analysis. We showed 17 different Chinese translations of the term “One Health” in Chinese societies including Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau. With this said, the Chinese term “同一健康”（tongyi jiankan) is the most common translation of “One Health”, which is found in 35 documents (40% ) out of the 87 documents. We identified “a missed opportunity” and “lack of a top-down approach” as two primary reasons for the pervasive inconsistency. Our additional Google search suggests that the term has been inconsistently translated into other languages including in Spanish and French. Inconsistent translations of One Health in non-English societies pose significant barriers to the global adoption of the approach, as well as limit policy implementation and uptake. This study highlights that consistent translation of global health policies is a critical determinant of global health and governance.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Public Health Policies and Practices
KEYWORDS
One Health, Health Communication, Health Policy
