Abstract:

Background:
One Health (OH) is a global initiative that integrates various sectors, scientific disciplines, and educational levels to enhance well-being and protect the health of humans, animals, and plants. Its philosophical roots can be traced to Hippocrates (c. 460–370 BC), particularly in his work On Air, Water, and Places, which emphasized the interconnectedness of health and environment. The modern OH concept was further developed by Rudolf Virchow (1821–1902), who argued against dividing agriculture from human and veterinary medicine. Today, interdisciplinary collaborations between academia and practice are essential for advancing planetary health. This publication exemplifies a multidisciplinary initiative at the national level designed to foster such collaborative efforts.

The aim is twofold:
1) to present initial steps of an OH academic research project (ARP).
2) to share two educational outreach activities during European Public Health Week (EUPHW) as part of the ARP.

Methods:
A content analysis of global policy documents on OH was conducted. The ARP utilized a mixed-methods design (MMD) and participatory action approach in higher education and public health.

The one health academic research project:
In 2022, the first national OH scientific initiatives began at the Medical University of Varna through an ARP exploring OH dimensions and disseminating the OH ideas nationally. The creation of the parallel MMD resulted from a nominal group technique that encouraged brainstorming among team experts. A horizon-scanning procedure identified research and educational gaps regarding OH at a national level. Three chapters emerged: “OH & Antimicrobial Resistance” with a study on knowledge, attitudes, and practices among professionals; “OH & Happiness” integrating clinical and subjective health indicators; and “OH - Education & Dissemination” addressing knowledge gaps among medical students and the public. Two educational activities from this chapter are highlighted below.

One Health – educational and public outreach activities
The activities presented were integral components of the 5th and 6th EUPHW in May 2023 and 2024, as outlined below:
- May 24, 2023 – event registered as HW66 “Celebrating OH and education on the Day of the Bulgarian Enlightenment”. The public outreach activity coincided with the unique national holiday in Bulgaria – the Day of Slavonic Alphabet, Bulgarian Enlightenment and Culture. The celebration provided an opportunity to highlight the importance of OH and its societal relevance. Branded flags, accompanied by OH-related information, were distributed to participants in the public manifestation.
- May 15, 2024 – event registered as HW12 “Introducing the OH Concept in the Bulgarian Medical and Public Health Curriculum. Glocal Educational Approaches”. The event was an educational initiative, featuring a pre-recorded lecture in Bulgarian that introduced the novel OH concept. The lecture was made accessible to students via the university’s eLearning platform. Emphasis was placed on the significance of GLOCAL (global + local) approaches, highlighting the adaptation of planetary OH concepts to regional educational contexts.

Conclusions:
The analysis of ARP data indicated that the principles of OH remain largely unfamiliar and underappreciated in Bulgaria. To enhance the dissemination of OH values, it is essential to incorporate dedicated educational modules into academic curricula and postgraduate programs.

Keywords:

One Health, higher education, public health, Bulgaria, Varna.