Using field training in indigenous communities as a method of creating awareness of the one health concept among Malaysian university students: a non-experimental pre and post-test intervention study

BACKGROUND: This paper describes the result of workshops conducted to increase the knowledge and awareness of university students using a multidisciplinary, collaborative, multisectoral and trans-disciplinary approach concerning One Health and the indigenous people of peninsular Malaysia called the Orang Asli. METHODS: A non-experimental pre and post-test intervention study was carried out among medical, veterinary and allied health students from six public and private universities who attended workshops on One Heath in two Orang Asli communities living by the Temenggor lake in Malaysia as part of the Malaysia One Health University Network (MYOHUN) efforts in training future and present One Health workforce. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in various aspects of knowledge and interest concerning One Health and the Orang Asli. The mean knowledge scores of One Health (p < 0.001) and Orang Asli (p < 0.001) increased significantly post workshop. A repeated measures ANOVA with a Greenhouse-Geisser correction showed the mean scores of knowledge of One Health F (1, 166) = 127.198, p < 0.001) and Orang Asli F (1, 166) = 214.757, p < 0.001) differed statistically significantly between the two time points. The test revealed that the score differences for knowledge on One Health (mean difference = 1.796, p < 0.001) and Orang Asli (mean difference = 4.940, p < 0.001) were statistically significant. Repeated measures ANOVA showed a significant difference in the knowledge on Orang Asli between the students of different courses F (4,166) = 3.734, p-0.006. The difference in the One Health knowledge scores between the students of different courses was not statistically significant F (4,166) = 0.998, p = 0.410. CONCLUSIONS: Emphasis on field training in relation to One health can provide university students greater levels of preparedness to combat zoonotic diseases.