scholarly journals Self-supply as an alternative approach to water access in rural scattered regions: evidence from a rural microcatchment in Colombia

2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wilmar Torres-López ◽  
Inés Restrepo-Tarquino ◽  
Charlotte Patterson ◽  
John Gowing ◽  
Isabel Dominguez Rivera

<p>Globally, access to improved water sources is lower in rural areas compared to urban areas. Furthermore, in rural areas many people use water from individual systems they have developed with their investments, often without external support. This phenomenon has been called Self-supply. Self-supply ranges from simple to complex systems and different water sources. Water quality varies, from achieving World Health Organization (WHO) standards (0 CFU/100 ml) to systems that provide water posing high risks to human health. While most studies in Self-supply have been developed in Africa, little is known in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). This research explores Self-supply in a rural microcatchment in Colombia (LAC). Data was collected through household and drinking water surveys and analysed. Results showed that 40% of households used Self-supply systems taking water from springs and brooks. Thermotolerant Coliforms were below 50 CFU/100 ml, both in dry and rainy season, and between 5 to 7% of samples achieved the WHO standard. These results suggest that Self-supply has potential to offer safe drinking water, provided improvements on source protection and institutional support. Therefore, Self-supply could contribute to address “unfinished business”, including ensuring access for the hardest-to-reach people, as stated in the post-2015 development agenda.</p>

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chandra Shekhar Azad Kashyap ◽  
Swati Singh

&lt;p&gt;India is one of the fastest economic growing and second-largest country by population. More than 75% people are living in rural areas and engage with agricultural activities for livelihood. A significant portion of the revenue comes from agriculture which cause ignorance in follow the guideline to get more yield. The supply of good quality food and drinking water are the necessity for economic and social health welfare of urban and rural population. In this study, we have observed that the groundwater quality is being degrading due to improper implementation of the rules and regulation. Twenty three groundwater sample were analyze for arsenic and trace elements contamination. The arsenic content in groundwater ranging from 10 to 780 &amp;#181;g/L, which is far above the levels for drinking water standards prescribed by World Health Organization (WHO). For identify the provable source of the contamination, four soil sample were analyzed and observed arsenic content ranging from 110 to 190 mg/kg. Rice is the staple food and ultimately cultivating the paddy crop on more over 80% of the agricultural land. The Paddy crop requires a large amount of water, ultimately maintain the waterlogging condition in the agricultural field. This waterlogging condition is providing a long time to get dissolution of the arsenic bearing minerals present in the soil. This study concluded that the traditional practicing of continuous growing paddy crop in the same field leading to groundwater contamination. The crops cycling could be a better option for reducing the contamination at a local scale.&lt;/p&gt;


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Maswati S. Simelane ◽  
Mduduzi Colani Shongwe ◽  
Kerry Vermaak ◽  
Eugene Zwane

Worldwide, millions of people still die from diseases associated with inadequate water supply, sanitation, and hygiene, despite the fact that the United Nations recognized access to clean drinking water and sanitation as a human right nearly a decade ago. The objective of this study was to describe the determinants of access to improved drinking water sources in Eswatini in 2010 and 2014. Using the Eswatini Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (EMICSs), data for 4,819 households in 2010 and 4,843 in 2014 were analyzed. Bivariate and multivariate complementary log-log regression analyses were conducted to identify the determinants of households’ access to improved drinking water sources. The study found that households’ access to improved drinking water sources significantly improved from 73.1% in 2010 to 77.7% in 2014 (p<0.0001). In 2010, households whose heads were aged 35–54 and 55 years had lower odds of having access to improved drinking water sources than those with younger ones. In 2014, female-headed households had lower odds, while, in 2010, sex of the household head was not associated with access to improved drinking water sources. In both years, an increase in the number of household members was negatively associated with access to improved drinking water sources compared to those with fewer members. In both years, the odds of access to improved drinking water sources increased with an increase in the wealth index of the household, and households located in urban areas had higher odds of access to improved drinking water sources compared to those in rural settings. In both years, households from the Shiselweni and Lubombo regions had lower odds of access to improved drinking water sources. The government and its partners should continue to upscale efforts aimed at increasing access to improved drinking water, especially in rural areas, to reduce the disparity that exists between urban and rural households.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (7) ◽  
pp. 2079-2087
Author(s):  
Prince Kaponda ◽  
Suresh Muthukrishnan ◽  
Rory Barber ◽  
Rochelle H. Holm

Abstract Cholera remains a problem in sub-Saharan Africa, especially in Malawi. Our aim was to investigate drinking water source quality compared with water treatment, risk perception and cholera knowledge for patients who had reported to a health center for treatment in the 2017–2018 outbreak in Karonga District, Malawi. The study analyzed 120 drinking water samples linked to 236 cholera patients. Nearly 82% of the samples met the national criteria for thermotolerant coliforms of 50 cfu/100 ml, while 50% met the more stringent World Health Organization criteria of 0 cfu/100 ml. In terms of the human dimensions, 68% of survey respondents reported that they treated their water, while knowledge of prevention, transmission and treatment of cholera was also generally high. However, of the 32 patients whose drinking water sources had thermotolerant coliforms of 200+ cfu/100 ml, seven reported they felt a low or no personal risk for contracting cholera in the future and their community was extremely well prepared for another outbreak. The cost of a reactive response to cholera outbreaks puts a burden on Malawi, providing an opportunity for investment in innovative and localized preventive strategies to control and eliminate the risk of cholera while acknowledging social and cultural norms.


Author(s):  
Yongjian Xu ◽  
Anupam Garrib ◽  
Zhongliang Zhou ◽  
Duolao Wang ◽  
Jianmin Gao ◽  
...  

High out-of-pocket (OOP) payments for chronic disease care often contribute directly to household poverty. Although previous studies have explored the determinants of impoverishment in China, few published studies have compared levels of impoverishment before and after the New Health Care Reform (NHCR) in households with members with chronic diseases (hereafter referred to as chronic households). Our study explored this using data from the fourth and fifth National Health Service Surveys conducted in Shaanxi Province. In total, 1938 households in 2008 and 7700 households in 2013 were included in the analysis. Rates of impoverishment were measured using a method proposed by the World Health Organization. Multilevel logistic modeling was used to explore the influence of the NHCR on household impoverishment. Our study found that the influence of NHCR on impoverishment varied by residential location. After the reform, in rural areas, there was a significant decline in impoverishment, although the impoverishment rate remained high. There was little change in urban areas. In addition, impoverishment in the poorest households did not decline after the NHCR. Our findings are important for policy makers in particular for evaluating reform effectiveness, informing directions for health policy improvement, and highlighting achievements in the efforts to alleviate the economic burden of households that have members with chronic diseases.


2021 ◽  
Vol 193 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan W. Peterson ◽  
Benjamin M. Fry ◽  
Daniel R. Wade ◽  
Ford J. Fishman ◽  
Jacob T. Stid ◽  
...  

AbstractMetal and metalloid contamination in drinking water sources is a global concern, particularly in developing countries. This study used hollow membrane water filters and metal-capturing polyurethane foams to sample 71 drinking water sources in 22 different countries. Field sampling was performed with sampling kits prepared in the lab at Hope College in Holland, MI, USA. Filters and foams were sent back to the lab after sampling, and subsequent analysis of flushates and rinsates allowed the estimation of suspended solids and metal and other analayte concentrations in source waters. Estimated particulate concentrations were 0–92 mg/L, and consisted of quartz, feldspar, and clay, with some samples containing metal oxides or sulfide phases. As and Cu were the only analytes which occurred above the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines of 10 μg/L and 2000 μg/L, respectively, with As exceeding the guideline in 45% of the sources and Cu in 3%. Except for one value of ~ 285 μg/L, As concentrations were 45–200 μg/L (river), 65–179 μg/L (well), and 112–178 μg/L (tap). Other metals (Ce, Fe, Mg, Mn, Zn) with no WHO guideline were also detected, with Mn the most common. This study demonstrated that filters and foams can be used for reconnaissance characterization of untreated drinking water. However, estimated metal and other analyte concentrations could only be reported as minimum values due to potential incomplete retrieval of foam-bound analytes. A qualitative reporting methodology was used to report analytes as “present” if the concentration was below the WHO guideline, and “present-recommend retesting” if the concentration was quantifiable and above the WHO guideline.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naeem Akram

Abstract. Access to clean and safe drinking water is a basic human right. Poor quality of drinking water is directly associated with various waterborne diseases. The present study has attempted to analyze the household preferences for drinking water sources and the adoption of water purifying methods at home in Pakistan by using the household data of Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey 2017–18. It has been found that people living in rural areas, headed by aged ones and having large family sizes are significantly less likely to use safe drinking water sources and households having media exposure, education, women empowerment in household purchases and belonging to the rich segment of society are more likely to use safe drinking water source. Similarly, households belonging to urban areas, having a higher level of awareness (through education and media), belonging to wealthy families, women enjoying a higher level of empowerment and using piped water are more likely to adopt water-purifying methods at home. However, households using water from tube wells, wells, and boreholes and having higher family sizes are less likely to adopt water purifying methods at home.


2021 ◽  
Vol 67 (3) ◽  
pp. 167-169
Author(s):  
Anastasia Simion ◽  
Maria Simion ◽  
Geanina Moldovan

Abstract Introduction: Recommended by the World Health Organization as the optimal way of infant feeding, maternal breast milk represents the best nourishment for the newborn baby during its first six months. The purpose of this study was to evaluate some of the Romanian mothers’ characteristics that can influence their attitude towards breastfeeding and food diversification. Methods: A questionnaire about 32 questions, including demographics items and breastfeeding attitudes, was sent online (socializing platforms) in 2020 to mothers from all Romania districts. Our sample included at the end 1768 subjects, who fully completed the questionnaire. Statistical analysis was carried out using the GraphPad statistical software. Results: The prevalence of breastfeeding for more than six months was only 32.18% in our group, and most of them were educated mothers who lives in urban areas (OR=2.76), were married (OR=1.98), had over 30 years old (OR=1.43) and have more than one child (OR=1.74). Conclusions: We underline the importance of tackling in our future community interventions some of the socio-demographic characteristics of pregnant women (like groups education, good and accessible information about breastfeeding, young age, first pregnancy, or mothers from rural areas as well) in developing good habits of breastfeeding or complementary feeding, in order to improve their children health status and proper development.


GeoScape ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-23
Author(s):  
Ripan Debnath ◽  
Praghya Parmita Debnath

AbstractPeople in urban and peri-urban areas enjoy better physical access to health facilities compared to those living in rural area. However, healthier natural environment is commonly absent in urban and its adjoining peri-urban areas. Premising on the competitiveness of health determinants outlined by the World Health Organization (WHO), this study has embarked upon comparing healthiness of different communities in a region as well as to ascertain the factor(s) regulating their healthiness related outcome. Relying on presurveyed 1397 household data spreading over an urban, two peri-urban, and eight rural localities in Mymensingh region, Bangladesh, the study has evaluated the communities’ healthiness in views of both the conventional perspective and using a set of health determinants. Illness and disease manifestation as well as socio-economic status of the households were analyzed statistically to get communities’ overall healthiness scenario. Later, comparison among the communities and contribution of different indicators were sought using a combined score index. In this study’s context, it has been found that urban is healthier than rural followed by peri-urban community. Here, rural areas lack education the most that should be improved; peri-urban areas need better income opportunity; and urban area requires better water-supply and waste management facilities to improve their respective health status in a community sense. There is not a commonly accepted health metrics for community’s comprehensive health assessment toward which this study sets a pathway. Besides, using the combined health index developed here, specific interventions required to improve community’s healthiness and minimize the gap among them can easily be identified.


Author(s):  
Shane Htet Ko ◽  
Hiroshi Sakai

Abstract Myanmar is an agriculture-based country with 70% of the total population residing in rural areas. Around half of the total population in Myanmar has to consume water from unimproved sources. The prevalence of diarrhea due to contaminated drinking water is high even in urban areas. The urban community may expect the provision of municipal water supply in the near future if the current revolution in the country succeeds. However, the rural areas have lesser or no chance to get quality water because of a lot of other prioritized tasks. Household water treatment is encouraged to be implemented as one of the national water safety plans for rural water supply in Myanmar. This study explored the diarrhea prevention awareness of the rural community using a questionnaire survey. The microbial quality parameters of drinking water sources were also examined. Fecal coliform contamination was detected in all examined drinking water sources. A significant association was found between drinking untreated water and the occurrence of diarrhea. The percentage of people who applied the diarrhea preventive measures was low. Even if they knew how to prevent the disease, very few people applied the measures in reality. Therefore, measures to cause behavioral change should be initiated, together with awareness raising, to promote diarrhea prevention in the community.


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