Data collection and management
After completion of the informed consent process, one-on-one semistructured interviews were conducted focusing on the five core themes outlined in the interview guide related to zoonotic disease emergence: human movement, socioeconomics, biosecurity in human environments, human–animal contact and illness, and medical care/treatment and death (Supplementary Data I). All interviews were conducted in the local language and audio-recorded without any identifying information. Confidentiality was maintained by conducting the interviews in a private and secure environment. At the end of the interview, each study participant received a bottle of cooking oil or laundry detergent valued at no more than US$10 as a token of appreciation.
Field observations were conducted by study staff at each study site concurrently. Observations were general and implemented in three settings: (1) local markets where live animals were traded, (2) in and/or around the dwellings of study participants and, if applicable, (3) community centres, to obtain an overview of the study site and the communities, and supplementary data on human-animal interactions and environmental biosecurity. The observed information was narrated by study staff and audio-recorded on site.23
To enhance saturation, efforts were made to include a large variety of people with different backgrounds, to conduct a maximized number of interviews during the 8 wk study period in each province and to cover as many themes and subthemes from the interview guide as possible in each interview.24 All data generated, including notes, audio files, digital transcripts and the interviewer checklist, were coded with an alphanumeric ID to preserve the confidentiality of participants. Paper files were scanned electronically and then shredded. All electronic data were encrypted and password-protected, and access was limited to the study staff conducting analyses.