Implementation of the One Health approach in urban contexts in Latin America: a systematic review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19653011Keywords:
One Health; urban health; Latin America; systematic reviewAbstract
Introduction: One Health approach integrates human, animal, and ecosystem health, making it essential for addressing complex health problems in urban settings. Latin America is highly urbanized and unequal, facing particular challenges; however, evidence on its effective implementation in cities remains scattered.
Objective: to analyze the scientific evidence published between 2015 and 2025 on the implementation of the One Health approach in urban contexts in Latin America, identifying characteristics, scope, and limitations.
Method: a descriptive systematic review following PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Searches were conducted in Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and SciELO (January 2015 – December 2025). Primary empirical studies addressing ≥2 One Health components in Latin American urban settings were included. Methodological quality was assessed using the MMAT tool. Studies were classified as Type A (direct implementation) and Type B (conceptual alignment).
Results: were included eight studies. Only three (37.5%) were Type A; five (62.5%) were Type B. Evidence was concentrated in Brazil, Colombia, and Peru. Human and animal health components were more frequently addressed than the environmental component. Observational and qualitative designs predominated; no cohorts or controlled trials were found. Simultaneous integration of all three components was limited. Main barriers included institutional fragmentation and weak intersectoral governance. Methodological quality was moderate in five studies, low in two, and high in one.
Conclusions: the implementation of One Health in Latin American cities is incipient, fragmented, and predominantly conceptual. The environmental component remains the least integrated. Longitudinal studies, robust evaluative designs, and governance frameworks that formalize intersectoral collaboration are needed.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Juan Carlos Lázaro-Guillermo, Milton Ricardo Calderon-Pizango, Luis Alvin Garzón López, Rusvelth Paima-Paredes
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