No Cover Image

Journal article 188 views 6 downloads

A double narrative: stories underpin fearful community attitudes toward snakes but offer a mechanism to reduce human-to-snake conflict

Diana Meirinho Domingues Orcid Logo, Kevin Arbuckle Orcid Logo, Hazel Nichols Orcid Logo, Yowasi Byaruhanga, Jessica Mitchell Orcid Logo

Global Health Action, Volume: 19, Issue: 1, Start page: 2655948

Swansea University Authors: Kevin Arbuckle Orcid Logo, Hazel Nichols Orcid Logo

  • 71865.VOR.pdf

    PDF | Version of Record

    © 2026 The Author(s). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License.

    Download (875KB)

Check full text

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...

Full description

Published in: Global Health Action
ISSN: 1654-9716 1654-9880
Published: Informa UK Limited 2026
Online Access: Check full text

URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa71865
first_indexed 2026-05-07T13:34:49Z
last_indexed 2026-06-04T08:37:28Z
id cronfa71865
recordtype SURis
fullrecord <?xml version="1.0"?><rfc1807><datestamp>2026-06-03T14:27:25.6121473</datestamp><bib-version>v2</bib-version><id>71865</id><entry>2026-05-07</entry><title>A double narrative: stories underpin fearful community attitudes toward snakes but offer a mechanism to reduce human-to-snake conflict</title><swanseaauthors><author><sid>d1775d20b12e430869cc7be5d7d4a27e</sid><ORCID>0000-0002-9171-5874</ORCID><firstname>Kevin</firstname><surname>Arbuckle</surname><name>Kevin Arbuckle</name><active>true</active><ethesisStudent>false</ethesisStudent></author><author><sid>43ba12986bd7754484874c73eed0ebfe</sid><ORCID>0000-0002-4455-6065</ORCID><firstname>Hazel</firstname><surname>Nichols</surname><name>Hazel Nichols</name><active>true</active><ethesisStudent>false</ethesisStudent></author></swanseaauthors><date>2026-05-07</date><deptcode>BGPS</deptcode><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&#x2009;=&#x2009;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.</abstract><type>Journal Article</type><journal>Global Health Action</journal><volume>19</volume><journalNumber>1</journalNumber><paginationStart>2655948</paginationStart><paginationEnd/><publisher>Informa UK Limited</publisher><placeOfPublication/><isbnPrint/><isbnElectronic/><issnPrint>1654-9716</issnPrint><issnElectronic>1654-9880</issnElectronic><keywords>Storytelling, snakebite, community engagement, behaviour, Uganda, qualitative methods</keywords><publishedDay>31</publishedDay><publishedMonth>12</publishedMonth><publishedYear>2026</publishedYear><publishedDate>2026-12-31</publishedDate><doi>10.1080/16549716.2026.2655948</doi><url/><notes/><college>COLLEGE NANME</college><department>Biosciences Geography and Physics School</department><CollegeCode>COLLEGE CODE</CollegeCode><DepartmentCode>BGPS</DepartmentCode><institution>Swansea University</institution><apcterm>Another institution paid the OA fee</apcterm><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.</funders><projectreference/><lastEdited>2026-06-03T14:27:25.6121473</lastEdited><Created>2026-05-07T14:27:03.9968473</Created><path><level id="1">Faculty of Science and Engineering</level><level id="2">School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Biosciences</level></path><authors><author><firstname>Diana Meirinho</firstname><surname>Domingues</surname><orcid>0000-0001-6086-9646</orcid><order>1</order></author><author><firstname>Kevin</firstname><surname>Arbuckle</surname><orcid>0000-0002-9171-5874</orcid><order>2</order></author><author><firstname>Hazel</firstname><surname>Nichols</surname><orcid>0000-0002-4455-6065</orcid><order>3</order></author><author><firstname>Yowasi</firstname><surname>Byaruhanga</surname><order>4</order></author><author><firstname>Jessica</firstname><surname>Mitchell</surname><orcid>0000-0002-2892-4630</orcid><order>5</order></author></authors><documents><document><filename>71865__36853__2360702d406d46b296fc7201a3fea076.pdf</filename><originalFilename>71865.VOR.pdf</originalFilename><uploaded>2026-06-03T14:25:04.5639045</uploaded><type>Output</type><contentLength>895997</contentLength><contentType>application/pdf</contentType><version>Version of Record</version><cronfaStatus>true</cronfaStatus><documentNotes>&#xA9; 2026 The Author(s). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License.</documentNotes><copyrightCorrect>true</copyrightCorrect><language>eng</language><licence>http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/</licence></document></documents><OutputDurs/></rfc1807>
spelling 2026-06-03T14:27:25.6121473 v2 71865 2026-05-07 A double narrative: stories underpin fearful community attitudes toward snakes but offer a mechanism to reduce human-to-snake conflict d1775d20b12e430869cc7be5d7d4a27e 0000-0002-9171-5874 Kevin Arbuckle Kevin Arbuckle true false 43ba12986bd7754484874c73eed0ebfe 0000-0002-4455-6065 Hazel Nichols Hazel Nichols true false 2026-05-07 BGPS 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. Journal Article Global Health Action 19 1 2655948 Informa UK Limited 1654-9716 1654-9880 Storytelling, snakebite, community engagement, behaviour, Uganda, qualitative methods 31 12 2026 2026-12-31 10.1080/16549716.2026.2655948 COLLEGE NANME Biosciences Geography and Physics School COLLEGE CODE BGPS Swansea University Another institution paid the OA fee 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. 2026-06-03T14:27:25.6121473 2026-05-07T14:27:03.9968473 Faculty of Science and Engineering School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Biosciences Diana Meirinho Domingues 0000-0001-6086-9646 1 Kevin Arbuckle 0000-0002-9171-5874 2 Hazel Nichols 0000-0002-4455-6065 3 Yowasi Byaruhanga 4 Jessica Mitchell 0000-0002-2892-4630 5 71865__36853__2360702d406d46b296fc7201a3fea076.pdf 71865.VOR.pdf 2026-06-03T14:25:04.5639045 Output 895997 application/pdf Version of Record true © 2026 The Author(s). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. true eng http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
title A double narrative: stories underpin fearful community attitudes toward snakes but offer a mechanism to reduce human-to-snake conflict
spellingShingle A double narrative: stories underpin fearful community attitudes toward snakes but offer a mechanism to reduce human-to-snake conflict
Kevin Arbuckle
Hazel Nichols
title_short A double narrative: stories underpin fearful community attitudes toward snakes but offer a mechanism to reduce human-to-snake conflict
title_full A double narrative: stories underpin fearful community attitudes toward snakes but offer a mechanism to reduce human-to-snake conflict
title_fullStr A double narrative: stories underpin fearful community attitudes toward snakes but offer a mechanism to reduce human-to-snake conflict
title_full_unstemmed A double narrative: stories underpin fearful community attitudes toward snakes but offer a mechanism to reduce human-to-snake conflict
title_sort A double narrative: stories underpin fearful community attitudes toward snakes but offer a mechanism to reduce human-to-snake conflict
author_id_str_mv d1775d20b12e430869cc7be5d7d4a27e
43ba12986bd7754484874c73eed0ebfe
author_id_fullname_str_mv d1775d20b12e430869cc7be5d7d4a27e_***_Kevin Arbuckle
43ba12986bd7754484874c73eed0ebfe_***_Hazel Nichols
author Kevin Arbuckle
Hazel Nichols
author2 Diana Meirinho Domingues
Kevin Arbuckle
Hazel Nichols
Yowasi Byaruhanga
Jessica Mitchell
format Journal article
container_title Global Health Action
container_volume 19
container_issue 1
container_start_page 2655948
publishDate 2026
institution Swansea University
issn 1654-9716
1654-9880
doi_str_mv 10.1080/16549716.2026.2655948
publisher Informa UK Limited
college_str Faculty of Science and Engineering
hierarchytype
hierarchy_top_id facultyofscienceandengineering
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Science and Engineering
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofscienceandengineering
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Science and Engineering
department_str School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Biosciences{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Science and Engineering{{{_:::_}}}School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Biosciences
document_store_str 1
active_str 0
description 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.
published_date 2026-12-31T14:21:04Z
_version_ 1867797458530074624
score 11.108671

Similar Items