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Contours of Risk: Spatializing Human Behaviors to Understand Disease Dynamics in Changing Landscapes

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Abstract

We echo viewpoints presented in recent publications from EcoHealth and other journals arguing for the need to understand linkages between human health, disease ecology, and landscape change. We underscore the importance of incorporating spatialities of human behaviors and perceptions in such analyses to further understandings of socio–ecological interactions mediating human health. We use Buruli ulcer, an emerging necrotizing skin infection and serious health concern in central Ghana, to illustrate our argument.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to acknowledge our project team members: Charles Abbey, Bernadette Atosona, David Azanu, Leah Bug, Nathan Clay, Emmanuel Effah, Simon Gawu, Yakubu Iddrisu Goro, Saviour Mantey, Frank Nyame, Grace Ofori-Sarpong, Joseph Oppong, Edith Parker, Warangkana Ruckthongsook, Kamini Singha, Rose Sandow, Ray Voegborlo, Annemarie Ward. We are also grateful for the insight of the two anonymous reviewers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Ecology, Rutgers University, 55 Dudley Road, Cook Office Building, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901-8520, USA

    Heidi Hausermann

  2. Department of Geography, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA

    Petra Tschakert

  3. Department of Geography and Intercollege Graduate Program in Ecology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA

    Erica A. H. Smithwick

  4. Department of Geography, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA

    David Ferring

  5. University of Mines and Technology, Tarkwa, Ghana

    Richard Amankwah

  6. Ghana Health Services, Accra, Ghana

    Erasmus Klutse

  7. Department of Geosciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA

    Julianne Hagarty & Lindsay Kromel

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  1. Heidi Hausermann
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  2. Petra Tschakert
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  3. Erica A. H. Smithwick
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Correspondence to Heidi Hausermann.

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Hausermann, H., Tschakert, P., Smithwick, E.A.H. et al. Contours of Risk: Spatializing Human Behaviors to Understand Disease Dynamics in Changing Landscapes. EcoHealth 9, 251–255 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10393-012-0780-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10393-012-0780-8

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