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A double narrative: stories underpin fearful community attitudes toward snakes but offer a mechanism to reduce human-to-snake conflict
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Kevin Arbuckle ,
Hazel Nichols ,
Yowasi Byaruhanga,
Jessica Mitchell
Global Health Action, Volume: 19, Issue: 1, Start page: 2655948
Swansea University Authors:
Kevin Arbuckle , Hazel Nichols
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© 2026 The Author(s). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License.
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DOI (Published version): 10.1080/16549716.2026.2655948
Abstract
Background: Snakebite envenoming is a neglected tropical disease with significant mortality and morbidity. Fear of snakes often results in human-to-snake violence which not only harms snakes but increases bite risks to humans. Limited research exists on both the origin of these negative attitudes, a...
| Published in: | Global Health Action |
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| ISSN: | 1654-9716 1654-9880 |
| Published: |
Informa UK Limited
2026
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| Online Access: |
Check full text
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| URI: | https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa71865 |
| Abstract: |
Background: Snakebite envenoming is a neglected tropical disease with significant mortality and morbidity. Fear of snakes often results in human-to-snake violence which not only harms snakes but increases bite risks to humans. Limited research exists on both the origin of these negative attitudes, and strategies to promote human-snake coexistence. Objectives: Using secondary qualitative analyses, we explored the role of snakes within community stories, in Southwest Uganda. We investigated the influence of stories on community attitudes towards snakes, and how these attitudes have changed since engaging in participatory snakebite prevention workshops which included narrative discussions. Methods: In 2022, snakebite prevention workshops were delivered, followed by semi-structured interviews (n = 21) of workshop attendees and non-attendees. These interviews included questions about the content of local snakebite stories. In this study, a secondary analysis using inductive reflexive thematic methods was performed to specifically consider the relationship between local stories and community attitudes toward snakes. Results: Attitudes toward snakes were largely fearful. Hearsay and stories appear to influence this fear and general knowledge of snakes in this community. Stories usually depicted snakes as villainous, supernatural, or malevolent. However, participatory snake-bite prevention workshops which include narrative discussion and two-way knowledge exchange with participants appeared to support attendees to change their attitudes and behaviours toward snakes. Conclusions: Stories appear to influence community attitudes toward snakes in Rubirizi. Future research should focus on understanding local narratives around snakes, and harness the power of storytelling to softly challenge these narratives in order promote human-snake coexistence and snakebite prevention. |
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| Keywords: |
Storytelling, snakebite, community engagement, behaviour, Uganda, qualitative methods |
| College: |
Faculty of Science and Engineering |
| Funders: |
This work was funded via a collaboration of small charitable and research grants awarded to JM, KA, and HN between 2021 and 2023. JM: Research Culture award via internal Research England funding, awarded January 2022. HN: The Greatest Need Fund, Swansea University, awarded March 2021. HN and KA: Research Wales Innovation Fund (RWIF) Collaboration Booster [R3-EEF27], funded by Higher Education Funding Council for Wales, awarded October 2022. KA: Hamish Ogston Foundation and Global Snakebite Initiative Grant awarded 2020. |
| Issue: |
1 |
| Start Page: |
2655948 |