scholarly journals System-wide approaches to mitigate environmental and health impacts of water contamination

Water Policy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tula M. Ngasala ◽  
Susan J. Masten ◽  
Stephen P. Gasteyer
Keyword(s):  
Urban Communities ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Water Scarcity ◽  
Water Source ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Community Capitals ◽  
Poor Water Quality ◽  
Key Informant ◽  
Source Contamination

Abstract There is an urgent need to address the challenges of inadequate safe water and proper sanitation in peri-urban communities in low-income countries. Agencies have tended to focus on a single aspect of the challenge for service delivery, which ultimately fails to capture the full scope of the problem. In this study, 63 household surveys and 15 key informant interviews were conducted in a peri-urban area of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, regarding water and sanitation issues. Results revealed that 87% of households experience water scarcity issues. More than 50% of the homes were surrounded by swampy areas with sewage and stagnant pools, with 40% reporting water source contamination due to seepage and overflowing of sewage collection systems. Key informants reported water scarcity and poor water quality due to poor sanitation practices and a compromised water supply network. We found that a highly integrated approach that invests in cultural, social, political, human, financial, and built community capitals is needed to address these challenges. To accomplish this, the community must feel empowered and believe that they have control over their situation in ways that will effectively protect their health.

scholarly journals Integrated nutrition science: from theory to practice in South Africa

2005 ◽  
Vol 8 (6a) ◽  
pp. 760-765 ◽  
Author(s):  
HH Vorster ◽  
BM Margetts ◽  
CS Venter ◽  
MP Wissing
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Nutrition Transition ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Nutrition Science ◽  
Theory To Practice ◽  
Nutrition Research

AbstractObjectiveTo describe an integrated, holistic conceptual framework and research paradigm for a better understanding of the nutrition transition in middle- and low-income countries.MotivationCurrent inability effectively to prevent the increasing burden related to changes in food consumption patterns and other health behaviours of populations in transition motivates a new approach for nutrition research and practice. In this proposed approach, broader and integrated dimensions of science and practice may be applied for a better understanding of this complex phenomenon.ResultExamples from our own studies are given and quoted to illustrate how results from transdisciplinary studies were used to design an integrated, holistic programme to improve quality of life of people infected with HIV.ConclusionBased on these experiences it is argued that the more holistic and integrated approach should and could lead to more effective and sustainable interventions to prevent the adverse health consequences of the nutrition transition. At the same time such an approach will contribute to efforts to conserve the environment and also human, living and natural resources.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of Integrated Approach on Cancer Care

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 94-98
Author(s):  
Pramod Bhatta
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Cancer Care ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Cancer Case ◽  
Entire Study ◽  
Happy Life ◽  
Care Protocol ◽  
Ayurvedic Treatment

Recurrence and metastasis is a great problem not only to the patient suffering from cancer but also to the doctors in order to care the patient effectively.  The present case study is a cancer case of a female, initially diagnosed with colon cancer in the year 1995 AD who underwent postsurgical and ayurvedic treatment simultaneously. The patient suffered from cancer in the different sites over the entire span of follow up duration of 24 years. Despite cancer growth since the initial diagnosis the patient suffered from uterine, renal cancers periodically and was successfully managed with the combined modern and ayurvedic approaches. The patient enjoyed the quality and happy life with not much difficulty during the entire study period since the beginning of this case. The tools applied for the case study were observation, clinical examination, face to face interviews, laboratory investigation reports, phone contact, and family feedback. The outcome of the study was highly remarkable and enthusiastic and revealed the outcome of Ayurvedic and other holistic approaches that helped to promote the quality of life of cancer patients when combined with modern cancer care protocol. The study recommends conducting such research to analyses the effect of integration of the Ayurvedic treatment approach which will eventually help to effective cancer care in low-income countries like Nepal. Keywords: Case study, effectiveness, Ayurveda, Integrated approach, Cancer care

scholarly journals A Simple Stated Preference Tool for Estimating the Value of Travel Time in Rural Africa

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 221-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Cook ◽  
Peter Kimuyu ◽  
Annalise G. Blum ◽  
Josephine Gatua
Keyword(s):  
Travel Time ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Stated Preference ◽  
Empirical Support ◽  
Water Source ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Significant Heterogeneity ◽  
Average Value

Despite its importance in benefit-cost analyses in the water supply, transportation, and health care sectors, there are relatively few empirical estimates of the value of travel time savings (VTT) in low-income countries, particularly in rural areas. Analysts instead often rely on a textbook “rule of thumb” of valuing time at 50% of prevailing unskilled wage rates, though these benchmarks have little empirical support in these settings. We estimate the value of travel time through the use of a repeated discrete choice stated preference exercise. We asked 325 rural households in Meru County, Kenya to rank two new hypothetical water sources against their current water source. The two new hypothetical sources were described as safe and reliable to use, but varied only in their distance from the household and the price charged per water container. Results from random-parameters logit models imply an average value of travel time of 18 Ksh/hr, and generally support the 50% rule. These models produce the first individual-level VTT estimates reported in a low-income setting, and indicate statistically-significant heterogeneity in VTTs, though the heterogeneity is not well correlated with observables. A latent-class approach identifies four classes of respondents: one class (about one third of respondents) values time very highly (49 Ksh/hr), one poorer group values time hardly at all (less than 1 Ksh/hr), and two groups value time at approximately 9 Ksh/hr.

scholarly journals A situational analysis of eye care services in Swaziland

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Velibanti Nhlanhla Sukati ◽  
Vannesa Raquel Moodley ◽  
Khathutshelo Percy Mashige
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Health Care Service ◽  
World Health ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Situational Analysis ◽  
Eye Care ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Eye Health ◽  
Key Informant

Compared to other African countries, Swaziland performs the worst in terms of providing eye health care services. A priority goal of the World Health Organization (WHO) is to alleviate childhood blindness, particularly in low-income countries such as Swaziland, where many people live in poverty, which is a contributor to poor health outcomes. A mixed method approach that entailed a document review, key informant interviews and clinical facility assessment questionnaires was used. Hospitals and mission clinics offering ophthalmic services were identified through the website of the Ministry of Health and verified during key informant interviews. A saturated sampling procedure was applied due to the few facilities that offer eye care services. Six framework components from the WHO for analysing health systems were utilised in an eye health care service context: leadership and governance, eye health services, eye health workforce, eye health financing systems, eye health medical supplies and technologies, and eye health information systems. Poor management, lack of accountability, poor monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, weak coordination and ineffective private-public sector regulations were identified as factors that lead to poor eye care in the country. The optometrists indicated that refractive services are the most rendered ophthalmic services. The exodus of healthcare practitioners has contributed to the downfall of the public health sector in the country. Five government eye care facilities, 3 government hospitals, 1 non-governmental organization (NGO) and a church mission clinic were included in this analysis. The eye services distribution favors the more affluent areas, particularly the more urban Hhohho Region, which is also where most of the eye health professionals are located. No campaigns have been conducted to prevent childhood blinding diseases or create awareness about getting children’s eyes tested for refractive correction. The burden of eye diseases among children in Swaziland remains unknown. More eye health care personnel and equipped facilities are needed throughout the country, and the eye health care program needs to be adopted.

scholarly journals The Physical Burden of Water Carrying and Women’s Psychosocial Well-Being: Evidence from Rural Nepal

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (15) ◽  
pp. 7908
Author(s):  
Vica Marie Jelena Tomberge ◽  
Janine Stefanie Bischof ◽  
Regula Meierhofer ◽  
Akina Shrestha ◽  
Jennifer Inauen
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Uterine Prolapse ◽  
Water Source ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Water Access ◽  
Physical Burden ◽  
Difficult Terrain ◽  
Health And Well Being

Many women in low-income countries carry heavy loads of drinking water for their families in difficult terrain. This can adversely affect their health and well-being. The present study is the first to investigate the physical burden of water carrying and women’s psychosocial well-being, and how this relationship is moderated by environmental and health conditions. Trained local interviewers conducted interviews with 1001 women across five rural communities in Nepal. In addition, objective measurement was used to assess the weight carried and distance from the water source. The physical burden of water carrying was calculated from weight, distance, and frequency of trips. Its association with psychosocial well-being was modeled using generalized estimating equations. Two additional models included the terrain and uterine prolapse as moderators. The physical burden of water carrying is directly related to higher emotional distress and reduced daily functioning. This correlation was exacerbated for women carrying in hilly versus flat terrain, and for those who had uterine prolapse. Our results underline the importance of adequate water access for women’s psychosocial well-being, especially for vulnerable populations such as women with impaired health (e.g., uterine prolapse) or those living in hilly terrain. The results further highlight the interconnectedness of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: water access, SDG 3: health and well-being, and SDG 5: gender equality.

scholarly journals Looking beyond Technology: An Integrated Approach to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Low Income Countries

2014 ◽  
Vol 48 (17) ◽  
pp. 9965-9970 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Tilley ◽  
Linda Strande ◽  
Christoph Lüthi ◽  
Hans-Joachim Mosler ◽  
Kai M. Udert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Sanitation And Hygiene
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