Factors influencing diagnostic sample submission by food animal veterinarians in Mississippi

A focus group was organised to gather information and opinions from food animal veterinarians in Mississippi regarding sample submission to diagnostic laboratories. The research found that a range of factors influence the veterinarian's decision regarding whether samples will be submitted to a diagnostic laboratory, with the cost of diagnostics as the key influence. The veterinarians believed that the relationship they had with diagnostic laboratories was important in the protection of public health, but they thought that their role in disease surveillance was under-utilised. More attention needs to be directed towards strengthening veterinary surveillance at ground level to ensure that emergent diseases are detected effectively by a partnership approach between veterinary practitioners in the field and diagnosticians in diagnostic laboratories. This partnership is a vital component of the 'One Health' concept for the protection of both animal and human health. This study demonstrates that qualitative social science methodologies, such as focus groups, can usefully be applied to topics of relevance to veterinary public health.