2.1 Study design and sampling
An online cross-sectional study was set up to investigate the users’
perceptions (e.g. needs, preferences and constraints) of animal health
platforms and risk analysis tools. The study population consisted of
professionals around the globe whose professional activities involved
the use of different platforms; either animal health or risk analysis
tools or both. For this, a survey was produced and distributed in two
ways. First emails, requesting participation in the proposed online
questionnaire were sent to 573 professionals at different international
levels. Most of them were known professional contact points who were
previously or at the time involved in animal or human health activities.
A snowball sampling strategy was then used (Lupo et al., 2016) where
certain first wave respondents were asked to distribute the
questionnaire link to other pertinent persons via e-mail. Therefore, the
same email was sent by the OIE to country focal points responsible for
notifying animal diseases.