Understanding anthropological contributions to infectious disease outbreak preparedness and response: a scoping review of key trends since 2019.

Publication date: Jul 29, 2026

This review explores how anthropology has been applied in outbreak preparedness and response since the onset of COVID-19 in 2019, identifying key trends and providing recommendations to its integration into global health practice. Our search of four databases yielded 68 studies published between 2019 and August 2024. Most studies (71%) focused on COVID-19, followed by Ebola (17%). Nearly half examine African contexts (46%), with fewer studies in Asia (26%), Europe (8%) and North America (4%). Existing studies predominantly address outbreak response rather than preparedness. Key themes include: local knowledge and the governance of outbreaks; the heterogeneity of communities and the vital role of local leaders; power dynamics and mistrust; and growing recognition of multispecies, zoonotic and planetary health dimensions. The review highlights persistent structural inequalities, with anthropological engagement in outbreak preparedness and response deeply shaped by Global North dominance. It calls for more critical and inclusive approaches to local leadership, challenging assumptions about representation, authority and trust. While rapid methods enable timely insights, they also involve trade-offs in depth and long-term engagement. Addressing these challenges requires more equitable partnerships, sustained investment in Global South capacity and participation, and deeper engagement with the structural, cultural and political dimensions of health emergencies.

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