{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,29]],"date-time":"2026-09-29T14:04:11Z","timestamp":1790690651197,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":58,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,29]],"date-time":"2026-09-29T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1790640000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,29]],"date-time":"2026-09-29T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1790640000000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/doi.wiley.com\/10.1002\/tdm_license_1.1"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Public Health Challenges"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,12]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>ABSTRACT<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Canine rabies remains an endemic public health threat in Mitooma District, Uganda, where traditional, top\u2013down public health interventions frequently fail to achieve the required 70% mass dog vaccination (MDV) coverage due to limited community engagement and one\u2010way communication.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Objectives<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This exploratory study evaluated the effectiveness of participatory communication in enhancing community engagement in MDV programs at the human\u2013dog\u2013wildlife interface in Mitooma District and identified the sociocultural and ecological factors influencing rabies control.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Four gender\u2010segregated focus group discussions were conducted across four purposively selected parishes (Kiyanga, Kaburara, Iraramira, and Kashasha) in Kiyanga sub\u2010county, Mitooma District. Data were analyzed using thematic framework analysis.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Critical gaps persist regarding paralytic rabies, non\u2010bite transmission pathways, and wildlife reservoirs, whereas inadequate interactive education drives the adoption of harmful traditional wound care. Furthermore, top\u2013down vaccination mismatches and utilitarian canine views trigger booster noncompliance and ownership denial to evade medical and legal liabilities.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Rabies persistence in Mitooma District is fundamentally driven by a failure of bidirectional community engagement and multi\u2010sectoral coordination. Shifting from top\u2013down public health messaging to a One Health participatory communication framework is necessary to establish sustainable community co\u2010ownership and break the transmission cycle.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1002\/puh2.70399","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,29]],"date-time":"2026-09-29T13:16:14Z","timestamp":1790687774000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Participatory Communication and Mass Dog Vaccination for Effective Rabies Management in Mitooma District, Western Uganda: An Exploratory Study"],"prefix":"10.1002","volume":"5","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-9145-7992","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Augustino","family":"Ngabirano","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Public Health School of Allied Health Sciences Kampala International University\u2014Western Campus  Kampala Uganda"},{"name":"Department of Production\u2014Field Extension Department of Production\u2014Agricultural Field Extension Mitooma District Local Government Bushenyi Uganda"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3086-6369","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Matthew Chibunna","family":"Igwe","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Public Health School of Allied Health Sciences Kampala International University\u2014Western Campus  Kampala Uganda"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8736-3482","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Charles","family":"Idehen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Public Health School of Allied Health Sciences Kampala International University\u2014Western Campus  Kampala Uganda"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,29]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_13_2_1","volume-title":"WHO Expert Consultation on Rabies, Third Report","author":"World Health Organization","year":"2018"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_3_1","volume-title":"Rabies and Rabies\u2010Related Lyssaviruses","author":"Spickler A. 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