The ZBRA toolkit is a curated repository of behavioral research on priority zoonotic diseases. It emphasizes risk and prevention behaviors, the individual and sociocultural drivers of those behaviors, and the broader policy and communication environment. Developed under USAID’s Breakthrough ACTION project, ZBRA is designed to strengthen evidence-based risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) for zoonotic disease prevention and response.

ZBRA equips researchers, public health practitioners, government officials, and partners with tools and insights to:

• Conduct behavioral research
• Access and adapt existing evidence for local contexts
• Inform communication strategies that strengthen preparedness and response

What You’ll Find

• Research Tools: Quantitative survey questions and qualitative interview guides tailored to priority zoonotic diseases.
• Cross-Cutting Insights: Analysis of key preventive and risk behaviors, along with sociocultural determinants that influence them.
• Country Profiles: Summaries of zoonotic disease priorities, key stakeholders in One Health activities, and case studies of how behavioral research has informed interventions.
• Interactive Map: Explore Breakthrough ACTION Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) countries to see where research and RCCE programming are being implemented.

Mapping zoonotic diseases to specific behaviors and understanding sociocultural dynamics are complex but essential for outbreak preparedness. By consolidating evidence and practical tools, ZBRA helps ensure that communities, health systems, and policymakers can design effective, context-specific strategies to reduce the risk of zoonotic disease emergence and spread.