1
|
Tallman PS, Salmon-Mulanovich G, Archdeacon N, Kothadia A, Lopez Flores L, Castañeda K, Collins S, Rusyidi B, Cole S. "Gender-Based Water Violence": Cross-Cultural Evidence for Severe Harm Associated With Water Insecurity for Women and Girls. Violence Against Women 2024:10778012241230323. [PMID: 38311938 DOI: 10.1177/10778012241230323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
We examined how study participants in Indonesia and Peru viewed the relationship between water insecurity and women's health via thematic analysis of interviews and focus groups. Participants reported that water insecurity led to vaginal infections, miscarriage, premature births, uterine prolapse, poor nutrition, restricted economic opportunities, and intergenerational cycles of poverty. Participants in both countries stated that extreme burdens associated with water insecurity should be categorized as violence. Based on these findings, we developed the concept of "gender-based water violence," defined as the spectrum of stressors associated with water insecurity that are so severe as to threaten human health and well-being, particularly that of women and girls.
Collapse
|
2
|
Rosen F, Settel L, Irvine F, Koselka EPD, Miller JD, Young SL. Associations between food insecurity and child and parental physical, nutritional, psychosocial and economic well-being globally during the first 1000 days: A scoping review. MATERNAL & CHILD NUTRITION 2024; 20:e13574. [PMID: 37828823 PMCID: PMC10750018 DOI: 10.1111/mcn.13574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Food insecurity affects billions of individuals annually and contributes to myriad poor health outcomes. Experiences of food insecurity may be particularly harmful during the first 1000 days, but literature on the topic has not been synthesized. We therefore aimed to characterize all available studies examining associations between food insecurity and nutritional, psychosocial, physical and economic well-being among parents and children during this period. We implemented a standardized search strategy across 11 databases. Four researchers screened 10,257 articles, 120 of which met the inclusion criteria. Most studies were conducted in Sub-Saharan Africa (43.3%), followed by North America (20.8%). Studies were primarily quantitative (95.8%), cross-sectional (70.0%) and focused on women (pregnant or post-partum, 48.3%) or women and children (15.8%). Physical health outcomes were the most investigated (n = 87 studies), followed by nutritional (n = 69), psychosocial (n = 35) and economic well-being (n = 2). The most studied associations were between food insecurity and stunting (n = 15), maternal depression (n = 12), child dietary diversity (n = 7) and maternal body mass index (n = 6). The strength of evidence for the observed associations varied across populations as well as within and between examined outcomes. We recommend that future studies recruit more diverse study populations, consider temporality of relationships, use instruments that facilitate cross-site comparisons, measure individual-level food insecurity and outcomes most likely to be impacted by food insecurity, evaluate contextual factors that may modify the effects of food insecurity and employ analytic techniques that permit assessment of causal pathways.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Rosen
- Department of Global Health StudiesNorthwestern UniversityEvanstonIllinoisUSA
| | - Lily Settel
- Department of Global Health StudiesNorthwestern UniversityEvanstonIllinoisUSA
- Department of AnthropologyNorthwestern UniversityEvanstonIllinoisUSA
| | - Faith Irvine
- Department of Global Health StudiesNorthwestern UniversityEvanstonIllinoisUSA
| | | | - Joshua D. Miller
- Department of AnthropologyNorthwestern UniversityEvanstonIllinoisUSA
- Department of NutritionUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Sera L. Young
- Department of AnthropologyNorthwestern UniversityEvanstonIllinoisUSA
- Institute for Policy ResearchNorthwestern UniversityEvanstonIllinoisUSA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Owuor PM, Awuor DR, Ngave EM, Young SL. "The people here knew how I used to live, but now I have to start again:" Lived experiences and expectations of the displaced and non-displaced women affected by the Thwake Multipurpose Dam construction in Makueni County, Kenya. Soc Sci Med 2023; 338:116342. [PMID: 37922742 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dam construction and associated disruptive activities such as population displacement can have significant societal consequences, especially for those socially and economically disadvantaged. Though community-level health and social consequences of displacements have been documented, there is little understanding of the individual-level consequences and intra-household gendered dynamics. OBJECTIVE/METHODS We sought to explore the experiences and expectations of displaced (n = 30) and non-displaced (n = 20) women in Makueni County, Kenya, where Kenya's second largest dam, Thwake Multipurpose Dam, is being constructed. We used qualitative techniques, including photo-elicitation interviews, go-along interviews, key informant interviews, and participant observation, to understand the lived experiences of women affected by the dam construction processes and their associated disruptions. RESULTS We found that both displaced and non-displaced women experienced the impacts of dam construction in four areas, i.e., economic (income loss), health (hearing damage), social (disrupted social networks), and environmental (flooding) domains. Though both groups described adverse effects, the displaced women perceived worse economic and social outcomes than non-displaced ones. Further, older and married women in both groups had the worst lived experiences and negative perceptions about the consequences for social well-being, e.g., loss of cultural identity, land ownership, and access to important religious sites. Changes in livelihood also transformed gender roles as women assumed economic responsibilities to cushion their families from hunger. CONCLUSION Development projects such as dams negatively impact the host community-displaced and the non-displaced experience adverse health, social, and environmental effects. However, poor women who are smallholder farmers bear the greatest burden. Assessment of individual-level experiences and intrahousehold dynamics might enhance our understanding of the biosocial outcomes of these consequences. Therefore, integrative biosocial approaches should be considered when examining the impacts of dam construction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Mbullo Owuor
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, 1819 Hinman Avenue, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA; Department of Anthropology, Wayne State University, 656 W. Kirby St., Detroit, MI, 48202, USA.
| | - Diana Ross Awuor
- Department of Management Science and Project Planning, Nairobi University, Kenya
| | - Emily Mwende Ngave
- Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics-Engineering & Innovation, Open University, UK
| | - Sera L Young
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, 1819 Hinman Avenue, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA; Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, 617 Library Pl, Evanston, IL, 60201, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Toivettula A, Varis O, Vahala R, Juvakoski A. Making waves: Mental health impacts of inadequate drinking water services - From sidenote to research focus. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 243:120335. [PMID: 37516073 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023]
Abstract
The paramount significance of the harmful impacts of poor drinking water services on physical health have been recognized for decades. Besides, over the past twenty years, an additional body of literature on their negative mental health impacts has emerged. With this brief review, we summarise the findings of the scholarship to advance addressing overall health (physical, mental, and social) in the water sector. We furthermore review the key policy documents of this field with a focus on mental health aspects and give recommendations for practitioners and decision-makers on addressing mental health in water service delivery. We reviewed the existing published works (42) assessing psychological impacts of deficient drinking water services in low-income settings. We then identified and compared the different mechanisms causing negative mental health outcomes described in them. For these purposes, we used a water insecurity experience -model and the vulnerability-stress model of clinical psychology. Next, we probed key international and national guiding documents of the water sector to analyse how mental health issues resulting from poor services are addressed today. We found that according to the literature, poor quality and quantity of water was predictably one of the most important psychosocial stressors to users. Surprisingly, however, various kinds of water-service-related inequalities (e.g. between genders, communities or socio-economic groups) showed up as equally significant stressors. Our analysis with the vulnerability-stress model furthermore indicates that insufficient drinking water services may predispose to common mental disorders particularly through external stress. Existing field guidelines have evolved to highlight the values of non-discrimination and participation, whilst mental health aspects remain ignored. This should not be the case. Therefore, practices for addressing mental health effectively in documentation and water service development should be further researched. But already in the light of the existing literature, we urge stakeholders to focus more on the negative mental health impacts of unequal service provision for users and nearby people left without improved services.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A Toivettula
- Department of Built Environment, School of Engineering, Aalto University, PO Box 15200, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland.
| | - O Varis
- Department of Built Environment, School of Engineering, Aalto University, PO Box 15200, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland
| | - R Vahala
- Department of Built Environment, School of Engineering, Aalto University, PO Box 15200, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland
| | - A Juvakoski
- Department of Built Environment, School of Engineering, Aalto University, PO Box 15200, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Mngadi LC, Cuadros DF, Tanser F, Burns JK, Slotow R, Tomita A. Water, sanitation and depression in rural communities: evidence from nationally representative study data in South Africa. PSYCHOL HEALTH MED 2023; 28:2441-2449. [PMID: 36821547 DOI: 10.1080/13548506.2023.2179643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
Clean water and sanitation provisions are essential for good hygiene and health, with rural South Africa facing a simultaneous access crisis of both, the direct health effect of restricted access to both on mental health remaining scarce and largely overlooked. This study investigated the association between access to clean water and sanitation on depression in rural South Africa utilizing the most recent data (year 2017) from the South African National Income Dynamics Study. Our study outcome was depression, based on the 10-item abridged version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (data available in SA-NIDS), the main exposures being access to clean water and adequate sanitation facilities (i.e. flushing toilets). Two types of analyses were conducted: first, adjusted logistic regression models were fitted to assess the relationship between lack of access to clean water and adequate sanitation to depression. Second, we conducted mediation analysis to investigate whether access to clean water mediated the relationship between lack of access to toilets and depression. A high proportion of rural participants lacked access to clean water (n = 6,188, 47.6%) and adequate toilets (n = 9,797, 81.6%). The regression analyses indicated that lack of access to both clean water (OR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.06-1.39) and adequate sanitation (OR = 1.36, 95% CI: 1.10-1.69) were significantly associated with greater odds of depression. The mediation analysis indicated that access to clean water partially mediated the relationship between lack of access to adequate sanitation and depression, the total mediated effect being 18.2% (95% CI: 11.0%-51.0%). Most rural communities in South Africa lack access to basic services that are essential for human dignity and a decent quality of life, leading to opportunities for poor mental health, with its various consequences for socio-economic development and personal wellbeing, including avoidable depression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lindiwe C Mngadi
- Public Health Medicine, School of Nursing and Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Diego F Cuadros
- Digital Epidemiology Laboratory, Digital Futures, University of Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Frank Tanser
- Public Health Medicine, School of Nursing and Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
- Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI), School of Data Science and Computational Thinking, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Jonathan K Burns
- Institute of Health Research, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Rob Slotow
- Oppenheimer Fellow in Functional Biodiversity, Centre for Functional Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College, London, UK
| | - Andrew Tomita
- Centre for Rural Health, School of Nursing and Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
- KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Hamill MM, Hu F, Adebajo S, Kokogho A, Tiamiyu AB, Parker ZF, Charurat ME, Ake JA, Baral SD, Nowak RG, Crowell TA. Food and Water Insecurity in Sexual and Gender Minority Groups Living With HIV in Lagos, Nigeria. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2023; 93:171-180. [PMID: 36881816 PMCID: PMC10293107 DOI: 10.1097/qai.0000000000003183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Food and water insecurity are associated with poor health outcomes that may be exacerbated by social marginalization and barriers to health care experienced by sexual and gender minorities (SGM) in resource-limited settings. We explored factors associated with food and water insecurity in SGM with HIV. SETTING A longitudinal study of 357 men who have sex with men, transgender women, and other gender-identifying people in Lagos, Nigeria. METHODS Laboratory testing, interviews, food and water assessments, and anthropometry were performed quarterly. Robust Poisson regression with generalized estimating equations was used to evaluate factors potentially associated with food and water insecurity. RESULTS From 2014 to 2018, 357 SGM with HIV completed either the food or water assessments. At baseline, participants identified as cisgender men who have sex with men 265 (74.2%), transgender women 63 (17.7%), or as nonbinary/other gender 29 (8.1%). Food insecurity and water insecurity were reported by 63/344(18.3%) and 113/357(31.7%), respectively, at any visit. Food and water insecurity each decreased with ongoing study participation. Food insecurity was associated with nonpartnered relationship status, CD4 count <500 cells/mm 3 , and lack of access to piped water. Water insecurity was associated with age 25 years or older, living with a man, transactional sex, and food insecurity. CONCLUSIONS Food and water insecurity were common among SGM in Nigeria and decreased with continued study participation, suggesting amenability to intervention when SGM are successfully engaged in care. Targeted interventions to support food and water security may improve HIV-related outcomes, such as CD4 count.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew M. Hamill
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Fengming Hu
- U.S. Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, USA
- Henry M Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine Inc, Bethesda, USA
| | - Sylvia Adebajo
- Maryland Global Initiatives Corporation, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, USA
| | - Afoke Kokogho
- U.S. Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, USA
- Henry M Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine Inc, Bethesda, USA
| | - Abdulwasiu B. Tiamiyu
- HJF Medical Research International, Abuja, Nigeria
- US Army Medical Research Directorate-Africa/Nigeria, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Zahra F. Parker
- U.S. Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, USA
- Henry M Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine Inc, Bethesda, USA
- US Army Medical Research Directorate-Africa/Nigeria, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Manhattan E. Charurat
- Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Julie A. Ake
- U.S. Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, USA
| | - Stefan D. Baral
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA
| | - Rebecca G. Nowak
- Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Trevor A. Crowell
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, USA
- U.S. Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, USA
- Henry M Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine Inc, Bethesda, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Kimutai JJ, Lund C, Moturi WN, Shewangizaw S, Feyasa M, Hanlon C. Evidence on the links between water insecurity, inadequate sanitation and mental health: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0286146. [PMID: 37228056 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0286146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Water insecurity and inadequate sanitation have adverse impacts on the mental health of individuals. OBJECTIVE To review and synthesize evidence on the relationship between water insecurity, inadequate sanitation, and mental health globally. DATA SOURCES Relevant studies were identified by searching PubMed, PsycINFO, and EMBASE databases from inception up to March 2023. STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA Only quantitative studies were included. The exposure was water insecurity and or inadequate sanitation. The outcome was common mental disorders (CMD: depression or anxiety), mental distress, mental health or well-being. There was no restriction on geographical location. PARTICIPANTS General population or people attending health facilities or other services. EXPOSURE Water insecurity and/ or inadequate sanitation. RISK OF BIAS The effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP) assessment tool was used to assess quality of selected studies. SYNTHESIS OF RESULTS A meta-analysis was conducted using a random effects statistical model. RESULTS Twenty-five studies were included, with 23,103 participants from 16 countries in three continents: Africa (Kenya, Ethiopia, Ghana, Uganda, South Africa, Malawi, Mozambique, and Lesotho), Asia (Nepal, Bangladesh, India, and Iran) and the Americas (Brazil, Haiti, Bolivia and Vietnam). There was a statistically significant association between water insecurity and CMD symptoms. Nine studies reported a continuous outcome (5,248 participants): overall standardized mean difference (SMD = 1.38; 95% CI = 0.88, 1.87). Five studies reported a binary outcome (5,776 participants): odds ratio 5.03; 95% CI = 2.26, 11.18. There was a statistically significant association between inadequate sanitation and CMD symptoms (7415 participants), overall SMD = 5.36; 95% CI = 2.51, 8.20. LIMITATIONS Most of the included studies were cross-sectional which were unable to examine temporal relationships. CONCLUSIONS Water insecurity and inadequate sanitation contribute to poorer mental health globally. IMPLICATIONS OF KEY FINDINGS Interventions to provide basic water, sanitation and psychosocial support, could substantially contribute to reducing the burden of CMD alongside other health and social benefits. TRIAL REGISTRATION PROSPERO registration number: CRD42022322528.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joan J Kimutai
- Centre for Innovative Drug Development and Therapeutic Trials for Africa (CDT-Africa), College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Crick Lund
- Centre for Global Mental Health, Health Service and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- Alan J Flisher Centre for Public Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Wilkister N Moturi
- Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Environment and Resource Development, Egerton University, Njoro, Kenya
| | - Seble Shewangizaw
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Merga Feyasa
- Centre for Innovative Drug Development and Therapeutic Trials for Africa (CDT-Africa), College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Charlotte Hanlon
- Centre for Innovative Drug Development and Therapeutic Trials for Africa (CDT-Africa), College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Centre for Global Mental Health, Health Service and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Goodman ML, Elliott A, Melby PC, Gitari S. Water insecurity, food insecurity and social capital associated with a group-led microfinance programme in semi-rural Kenya. Glob Public Health 2022; 17:3399-3411. [PMID: 35787237 PMCID: PMC9810762 DOI: 10.1080/17441692.2022.2095656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACTSocial capital predicts many positive health outcomes, including food and water access and sufficiency. Hence, increasing social capital has emerged as one potential strategy to improve food and water security. In this study, we investigate whether social capital generated through participation in a community-based microlending programme based in semi-rural Kenya is associated with water and food insecurity, and explore the interconnectedness of water and food insecurity through mediation analysis. Randomly-selected women participants of the community-based programme (n = 400) were interviewed in June 2018 and again in June 2019. Survey measures included water insecurity, food insecurity and an index of social capital constructs, namely group cohesion, trust, expectations of mutual support, sense of belonging and frequency of attendance in the programme. Random effects linear regression showed that an increase the social capital index was associated with lower water and food insecurity. The mediation analysis indicated that the association between social capital and food insecurity was completely mediated by water insecurity. This study demonstrates the need for further investigation into how social capital-generating programmes can contribute to systems approaches for collaborative food and water security programmes, especially among rural communities in low- and middle-income countries.
Collapse
|
9
|
Workman CL, Stoler J, Harris A, Ercumen A, Kearns J, Mapunda KM. Food, water, and sanitation insecurities: Complex linkages and implications for achieving WASH security. Glob Public Health 2022; 17:3060-3075. [PMID: 34506263 DOI: 10.1080/17441692.2021.1971735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Food, water and sanitation insecurities are complex, multi-dimensional phenomena that entail more than availability and access; food, water, and sanitation resources must be safe and culturally appropriate. Researchers and implementers concerned with these insecurities have demonstrated that there are notable interactions between them resulting in significant psychological and biological outcomes. Recent randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in Bangladesh, Kenya (WASH Benefits) and Zimbabwe (SHINE) demonstrated no effect from water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) interventions on linear growth, and mixed evidence on enteropathogen burden and risk of diarrhoea in young children. These data suggest a need for a more comprehensive understanding of WASH security. The risks posed by multiple resource insecurities shift depending on the individual, their movement throughout their day, their economically and socially prescribed roles, and ecological features such as seasonality and precipitation. By more fully integrating food, water and sanitation security in interventions and subsequent impact evaluations, we can achieve WASH security-one that addresses myriad transmission pathways and co-occurring diseases-that ultimately would improve health outcomes throughout the world. In this critical review, we outline the complexity of combined resource insecurities as a step towards transformative WASH.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Angela Harris
- North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
| | - Ayse Ercumen
- North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
Boateng GO, Workman CL, Miller JD, Onono M, Neilands TB, Young SL. The syndemic effects of food insecurity, water insecurity, and HIV on depressive symptomatology among Kenyan women. Soc Sci Med 2022; 295:113043. [PMID: 32482382 PMCID: PMC8869838 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide and a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease, especially for women of childbearing age. Social science scholarship has demonstrated significant relationships between mental health, food insecurity (FI), water insecurity (WI), and HIV. Little is known, however, about the temporal relationships between food and water insecurity or the mechanisms through which these multiple stressors may operate or interact to impact depression. We therefore used syndemic theory to explore the complex relationships between FI, WI, and HIV on depressive symptomatology among Kenyan women of mixed HIV status (n=183, NCT02979418). We sought to 1) understand the temporal relationships between time-variant risk factors for depression, i.e. FI and WI, and 2) assess how these factors potentially interacted with HIV to impact depressive symptomatology. We first assessed the bidirectional relationship between WI and FI using a cross-lagged three-wave, two-variable panel model. Next, we modeled depressive symptomatology at 21 months as a linear function of the potentially syndemic interaction between FI, WI, and HIV status, adjusting for household wealth. WI had a predominant predictive effect on FI (Bayesian posterior predictive p-value=0.13); there was no reverse causality for the influence of FI on WI. The interaction effect of FI, WI, and HIV was significantly associated with greater depressive symptomatology (β=0.06) at 21 months postpartum. These data suggest that water insecurity may be an important determinant of food insecurity. Further, the co-occurrence of FI, WI, and HIV increases the likelihood of maternal depressive symptomatology, i.e. there is a syndemic relationship. These findings suggest that the role of household WI in other adverse health outcomes beyond mental well-being should be examined, and that interventions to improve mental health will be more effective if they also consider concurrent resource insecurities, regardless of HIV status.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Godfred O Boateng
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, 76019, USA; Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Cassandra L Workman
- Department of Anthropology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, 27412, USA
| | - Joshua D Miller
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | | | - Torsten B Neilands
- Department of Medicine, Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Sera L Young
- Department of Anthropology & Global Health, Faculty Fellow, Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Ahmed F, Shahid M, Cao Y, Qureshi MG, Zia S, Fatima S, Guo J. A Qualitative Exploration in Causes of Water Insecurity Experiences, and Gender and Nutritional Consequences in South-Punjab, Pakistan. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph182312534. [PMID: 34886260 PMCID: PMC8657084 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182312534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Although water insecurity has been discussed in general, its impacts on mothers’ physical and mental health, and infants’ and young children’s feeding (IYCF), has largely been ignored. This study explores household water insecurity experiences and their association with optimal health and nutrition of women and children in the Rajanpur district of Punjab Province. Using focus group discussions (FGDs) and key informants (KIIs) interviews from an area with high maternal-child malnutrition prevalence, a qualitative study was conducted to describe local experiences of water acquirement and arrangement, and of the consequences of water insecurity. The findings highlight that rural Western marginalized populations of the Rajanpur district rely on brackish, canal, or flood surface water as the water supply is absent, which intensifies mothers’ work burden and stress, and often makes them victims of violence, stigma, and sickness. Water fetching impacts women in unforeseen ways, impacting the psychosocial and physical health of mothers engaged in maternal breastfeeding. Water insecurity, originally rooted in regional disparities, compounds with gender inequities, which leads to maternal stress and child sickness. Justice in water resources is imperative and urgent in the deprived South of Punjab province for improving public health nutrition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Farooq Ahmed
- Department of Anthropology, Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan;
- Department of Anthropology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Muhammad Shahid
- School of Insurance and Economics, University of International Business and Economics (UIBE), Beijing 100029, China;
| | - Yang Cao
- School of Insurance and Economics, University of International Business and Economics (UIBE), Beijing 100029, China;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-173-1948-0430
| | | | - Sidra Zia
- Independent Researcher, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan;
| | - Saireen Fatima
- Fazaia Medical College, Air University, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan;
| | - Jing Guo
- Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100091, China;
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Rosinger AY, Bethancourt HJ, Young SL, Schultz AF. The embodiment of water insecurity: Injuries and chronic stress in lowland Bolivia. Soc Sci Med 2021; 291:114490. [PMID: 34662760 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Water is critical to health and wellbeing. Studies have theorized that problems with water can become embodied, yet few studies have quantified this. Therefore, we first sought to understand the lowland Bolivian water environment of Tsimane' forager-horticulturalists. We assessed the water environment holistically, using objective measures of water quality and water services (Joint Monitoring Programme's drinking water services ladder) and subjective measures, including perceived water safety and water insecurity experiences [Household Water Insecurity Experiences Scale (HWISE)]. We tested how water service levels, perceived water safety, and water fetching frequency were associated with HWISE scores using Tobit regression models among 270 households. We then tested if and how water becomes embodied via self-reported water-related injury and a chronic stress biomarker, hair cortisol concentration (HCC). Results demonstrated that, compared with households using surface water, households with basic water services had HWISE scores 1.59-pts lower (SE = 0.29; P < 0.001). Ingestion of water perceived to be "bad" and more daily water-fetching trips were associated with higher HWISE scores. Twenty percent of households reported prior water-related injuries, with women most commonly injured. In logistic regressions, each point higher HWISE score was associated with 28% (95%CI:1.16-1.41; P < 0.001) higher odds of injury. Basic water services compared to surface water was associated with 48% lower odds (OR = 0.52; 95%CI:0.33-0.82; P = 0.005) of injury. Finally, using linear regressions among 332 adults, HWISE scores were not associated with HCC. Past water-related injury was associated with higher HCC (Beta = 0.31; SE = 0.09; P = 0.029) among women, but not men. Relying on unimproved water services compared to surface was associated with 46.2% higher HCC for women (Beta=0.38; SE=0.14; P=0.048) and 55.3% higher HCC for men (Beta=0.44; SE=0.15; P=0.044), respectively. Overall, our findings demonstrate that water insecurity can become embodied through water-related injuries and elevated HCC. Improving water service levels through an equity lens may help ameliorate water insecurity and its accompanying negative health effects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Asher Y Rosinger
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA; Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, 16802, USA.
| | - Hilary J Bethancourt
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA; Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA; Anthropology Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, IL, USA
| | - Sera L Young
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA; Anthropology Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, IL, USA
| | - Alan F Schultz
- Centro Boliviano de Investigación y Desarrollo Socio Integral, San Borja, Bolivia
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Young SL, Bethancourt HJ, Ritter ZR, Frongillo EA. The Individual Water Insecurity Experiences (IWISE) Scale: reliability, equivalence and validity of an individual-level measure of water security. BMJ Glob Health 2021; 6:bmjgh-2021-006460. [PMID: 34615660 PMCID: PMC8493920 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2021-006460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective The lack of a validated and cross-culturally equivalent scale for measuring individual-level water insecurity has prevented identification of those most vulnerable to it. Therefore, we developed the 12-item Individual Water InSecurity Experiences (IWISE) Scale to comparably measure individual experiences with access, use, and stability (reliability) of water. Here, we examine the reliability, cross-country equivalence, and cross-country and within-country validity of the scale in a cross-sectional sample. Methods IWISE items were implemented by the Gallup World Poll among nationally representative samples of 43 970 adults (>15 y) in 31 low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). Internal consistency was assessed with Cronbach’s alpha. Equivalence was tested using multigroup confirmatory factor analysis (MGCFA), the alignment method, and item response theory. Cross-country validity was assessed by regressing mean national IWISE scores on measures of economic, social, and water infrastructure development. Within-country validity was tested with logistic regression models of dissatisfaction with local water quality by IWISE score and regressing individual IWISE scores on per capita household income and difficulty getting by on current income. Findings Internal consistency was high; Cronbach’s alpha was ≥0.89 in all countries. Goodness-of-fit statistics from MGCFA, the proportion of equivalent item thresholds and loadings in the alignment models, and Rasch output indicated equivalence across countries. Validity across countries was also established; country mean IWISE scores were negatively associated with gross domestic product and percentage of the population with access to basic water services, but positively associated with fertility rate. Validity within countries was also demonstrated; individuals’ IWISE scores were positively associated with greater odds of dissatisfaction with water quality and negatively associated with lower financial standing. Conclusions The IWISE Scale provides an equivalent measure of individual experiences with water access and use across LMICs. It will be useful for establishing and tracking changes in the prevalence of water insecurity and identifying groups who have been ‘left behind’.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sera L Young
- Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA .,Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | | | | | - Edward A Frongillo
- Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Ho EW, Strohmeier-Breuning S, Rossanese M, Charron D, Pennise D, Graham JP. Diverse Health, Gender and Economic Impacts from Domestic Transport of Water and Solid Fuel: A Systematic Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph181910355. [PMID: 34639655 PMCID: PMC8507830 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph181910355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
(1) Background: Water and solid fuel collection and transport are domestic duties for millions of households across the globe. People in areas with limited or no access to safely managed sources of water and household energy must fetch these resources on a frequent basis. The health, gender, and economic impacts associated with water and solid fuel collection labor have not been systematically reviewed. (2) Methods: Studies were identified through database searches and included using a list of inclusion and exclusion criteria. Studies were summarized and grouped into one of eight thematic categories. (4) Conclusions: The findings suggest that a diverse and heavy health burden is associated with water and solid fuel collection and transport. The literature also suggests that the provision of safely managed and accessible water and improved fuel options can mitigate these negative outcomes. Filling research gaps and utilizing results to guide policy and funding would likely be an effective way to ensure low- and middle-income countries are not left behind as the world strives to meet the sustainable development goals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erica W. Ho
- Berkeley School of Public Health, University of California, 2121 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA;
| | - Sophia Strohmeier-Breuning
- Department of Public Health Sciences, UC Davis School of Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA;
| | - Madeleine Rossanese
- Berkeley Air Monitoring Group, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA; (M.R.); (D.C.); (D.P.)
| | - Dana Charron
- Berkeley Air Monitoring Group, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA; (M.R.); (D.C.); (D.P.)
| | - David Pennise
- Berkeley Air Monitoring Group, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA; (M.R.); (D.C.); (D.P.)
| | - Jay P. Graham
- Berkeley School of Public Health, University of California, 2121 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA;
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Young SL, Frongillo EA, Jamaluddine Z, Melgar-Quiñonez H, Pérez-Escamilla R, Ringler C, Rosinger AY. Perspective: The Importance of Water Security for Ensuring Food Security, Good Nutrition, and Well-being. Adv Nutr 2021; 12:1058-1073. [PMID: 33601407 PMCID: PMC8321834 DOI: 10.1093/advances/nmab003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Water security is a powerful concept that is still in its early days in the field of nutrition. Given the prevalence and severity of water issues and the many interconnections between water and nutrition, we argue that water security deserves attention commensurate with its importance to human nutrition and health. To this end, we first give a brief introduction to water insecurity and discuss its conceptualization in terms of availability, access, use, and stability. We then lay out the empirical grounding for its assessment. Parallels to the food-security literature are drawn throughout, both because the concepts are analogous and food security is familiar to the nutrition community. Specifically, we review the evolution of scales to measure water and food security and compare select characteristics. We then review the burgeoning evidence for the causes and consequences of water insecurity and conclude with 4 recommendations: 1) collect more water-insecurity data (i.e., on prevalence, causes, consequences, and intervention impacts); 2) collect better data on water insecurity (i.e., measure it concurrently with food security and other nutritional indicators, measure intrahousehold variation, and establish baseline indicators of both water and nutrition before interventions are implemented); 3) consider food and water issues jointly in policy and practice (e.g., establish linkages and possibilities for joint interventions, recognize the environmental footprint of nutritional guidelines, strengthen the nutrition sensitivity of water-management practices, and use experience-based scales for improving governance and regulation across food and water systems); and 4) make findings easily available so that they can be used by the media, community organizations, and other scientists for advocacy and in governance (e.g., tracking progress towards development goals and holding implementers accountable). As recognition of the importance of water security grows, we hope that so too will the prioritization of water in nutrition research, funding, and policy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sera L Young
- Department of Anthropology and Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Edward A Frongillo
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Zeina Jamaluddine
- London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, London, England
- American University of Beirut, Lebanon, Beirut
| | | | - Rafael Pérez-Escamilla
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Claudia Ringler
- Environment and Production Technology Division, International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Asher Y Rosinger
- Department of Biobehavioral Health and Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Nounkeu CD, Dharod JM. Integrated Approach in Addressing Undernutrition in Developing Countries: A Scoping Review of Integrated Water Access, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) + Nutrition Interventions. Curr Dev Nutr 2021; 5:nzab087. [PMID: 34268466 PMCID: PMC8275452 DOI: 10.1093/cdn/nzab087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
A scoping review of integrated water access, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) plus nutrition interventions was conducted mainly to describe different components of intervention and examine their effectiveness in improving nutritional outcomes among children. Of the 8 small- to large-scale interventions, 6 were conducted in sub-Saharan Africa and the remaining 2 in South Asia. All the interventions were done in rural settings; the majority involved sanitation and hygiene deliverables along with the nutrition strategies, such as distribution of nutrition supplements. In assessing effectiveness, no significant improvements were seen in growth indicators; reduction in diarrheal rate among children was also not universal across interventions. Further strengthening of WASH, especially an improvement in "W", or water access, is warranted to ensure uptake of sanitation and hygiene behaviors and prevent the fecal-oral route among children. Improved water access will also enhance the effectiveness of nutrition initiatives, such as promoting vegetable gardening and utilization of child nutrient supplements.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jigna M Dharod
- Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, USA
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Jepson WE, Stoler J, Baek J, Morán Martínez J, Uribe Salas FJ, Carrillo G. Cross-sectional study to measure household water insecurity and its health outcomes in urban Mexico. BMJ Open 2021; 11:e040825. [PMID: 33674365 PMCID: PMC7938997 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-040825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Revised: 01/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess the links between structural and household determinants of household water insecurity and test three water insecurity measures against self-reported diarrhoea, dengue fever and perceived stress in the middle-income and low-income urban areas of Torreón, Mexico. DESIGN Cross-sectional household survey conducted in two waves (rainy and dry seasons). PARTICIPANTS 500 households selected via multistage cluster sample in selected communities. Socioeconomic status determined the selection of participant neighbourhoods; five were identified in low socioeconomic status neighbourhoods and five in low-medium socioeconomic status neighbourhoods. We examine how the context of urban water provision is related to a new cross-culturally valid Household Water Insecurity Experiences (HWISE) Scale. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES The HWISE Scale, self-reported diarrhoea, dengue fever and the Perceived Stress Scale. RESULTS Water system intermittency (adjusted OR (AOR) 3.96, 95% CI 2.40 to 6.54, p<0.001), unpredictability (AOR 2.24, 95% CI 1.34 to 3.74, p=0.002) and the dry season (AOR 3.47, 95% CI 2.18 to 5.52, p<0.001) were structural correlates of the HWISE Scale. This study also found that the HWISE Scale was associated with two health outcomes, self-reported diarrhoea (AOR 1.09, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.15, p=0.002) and perceived stress (β=0.28, SE=0.07, t=4.30, p<0.001), but not self-reported dengue fever (AOR 1.02, 95% CI 0.98 to 1.06). A 3-item hygiene subscore and a 3-item water worry subscore were also both positively associated with self-reported diarrhoea and perceived stress. CONCLUSION Short-form screeners of water insecurity may be useful for assessing certain health risks by lay survey workers in settings with limited healthcare resources, particularly in lieu of more expensive microbiological tests that require specialised training and facilities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wendy E Jepson
- Geography, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Justin Stoler
- Geography, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, USA
| | - Juha Baek
- Center for Outcomes Research, Houston Methodist, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Javier Morán Martínez
- Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila Facultad de Medicina Unidad Torreón, Torreón, Mexico
| | | | - Genny Carrillo
- Environmental and Occupational Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Robinson J, Howland O. Visible and invisible risks: Exploring washing and hygiene practices with women living on low income in Kenya. Glob Public Health 2021; 17:1002-1015. [PMID: 33635181 DOI: 10.1080/17441692.2021.1887314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Shifting environmental conditions and poor or insufficient hygiene facilitates the transmission of bacteria and viruses between and within species of animals; between humans; and between humans and animals. Taking a One Health perspective, we used interviews to explore with 20 women living on low income in Kenya: their gendered hygiene practices and daily contact with animals; how and why they access water and sanitation facilities for themselves, their families, and any livestock; and their understandings of (zoonotic) health risks and disease transmission within their local environments. The women described how they worked every day to keep bodies and homes clean by washing bodies, surfaces and clothes. Women's hygiene practices focussed on removing visible dirt partly because of concerns for health but also to support their families' social standing in their community. While they were less aware of any 'invisible' risks to health through contact with animals or other hazards present in their daily living environments, most exercised care to source and manage water for drinking. Contaminated water was recognised as a risk to health suggesting that in this case, women accepted that there were 'invisible risks' to health, even in clear water, and took steps to mitigate them.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jude Robinson
- School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Olivia Howland
- Zoonotic and Emerging Diseases Group, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.,International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi, Kenya
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Logie CH, Okumu M, Latif M, Musoke DK, Odong Lukone S, Mwima S, Kyambadde P. Exploring resource scarcity and contextual influences on wellbeing among young refugees in Bidi Bidi refugee settlement, Uganda: findings from a qualitative study. Confl Health 2021; 15:3. [PMID: 33413546 PMCID: PMC7790031 DOI: 10.1186/s13031-020-00336-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Contextual factors including poverty and inequitable gender norms harm refugee adolescent and youths' wellbeing. Our study focused on Bidi Bidi refugee settlement that hosts more than 230,000 of Uganda's 1.4 million refugees. We explored contextual factors associated with wellbeing among refugee adolescents and youth aged 16-24 in Bidi Bidi refugee settlement. METHODS We conducted 6 focus groups (n = 3: women, n = 3: men) and 10 individual interviews with young refugees aged 16-24 living in Bidi Bidi. We used physical distancing practices in a private outdoor space. Focus groups and individual interviews explored socio-environmental factors associated with refugee youth wellbeing. Focus groups were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim, and coded by two investigators using thematic analysis. Analysis was informed by a social contextual theoretical approach that considers the interplay between material (resource access), symbolic (cultural norms and values), and relational (social relationships) contextual factors that can enable or constrain health promotion. RESULTS Participants included 58 youth (29 men; 29 women), mean age was 20.9 (range 16-24). Most participants (82.8%, n = 48) were from South Sudan and the remaining from the Democratic Republic of Congo (17.2% [n = 10]). Participant narratives revealed the complex interrelationships between material, symbolic and relational contexts that shaped wellbeing. Resource constraints of poverty, food insecurity, and unemployment (material contexts) produced stress and increased sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) targeting adolescent girls and women. These economic insecurities exacerbated inequitable gender norms (symbolic contexts) to increase early marriage and transactional sex (relational context) among adolescent girls and young women. Gendered tasks such as collecting water and firewood also increased SGBV exposure among girls and young women, and this was exacerbated by deforestation. Participants reported negative community impacts (relational context) of COVID-19 that were associated with fear and panic, alongside increased social isolation due to business, school and church closures. CONCLUSIONS Resource scarcity produced pervasive stressors among refugee adolescents and youth. Findings signal the importance of gender transformative approaches to SGBV prevention that integrate attention to resource scarcity. These may be particularly relevant in the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings signal the importance of developing health enabling social contexts with and for refugee adolescents and youth.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carmen H Logie
- Factor Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, 246 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON, M5S 1V4, Canada. .,Women's College Research Institute, Women's College Hospital, 76 Grenville St, Toronto, ON, M5G 1N8, Canada.
| | - Moses Okumu
- School of Social Work, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 325 Pittsboro St, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-3550, USA
| | - Maya Latif
- Factor Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, 246 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON, M5S 1V4, Canada
| | | | | | - Simon Mwima
- AIDS Control Program, Ministry of Health, Plot 6, Lourdel Road, Nakasero, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Peter Kyambadde
- Most At Risk Population Initiative Clinic, Mulago Hospital, Kampala, Uganda
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Wutich A, Brewis A, Tsai A. Water and mental health. WIRES WATER 2020; 7. [DOI: 10.1002/wat2.1461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 08/30/2023]
Abstract
AbstractThere is a well‐established connection among water quality, sanitation, and physical health. The potentially important relationship between water and mental health is considerably less studied. Reviewing evidence from ethnography, geography, folklore, indigenous studies, rural medicine, drought research, and large‐n statistical studies, we argue there is now good theoretical rationale and growing evidence of water insecurity as a possible driver of mental ill‐health. Furthermore, some nascent evidence suggests that emotionally meaningful interactions with water might improve mental health outcomes. Leveraging these literatures, we address the many ways in which mental health outcomes are conceptualized and operationalized in water research, including as emotional distress, perceived stress, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, somatic symptoms, and quality of life. We outline arguments supporting seven possible (and likely interlocking) mechanisms that could explain such a relationship: (a) material deprivation and related uncertainty, (b) shame of social failure, (c) worry about health threats, (d) loss of connections to people and places, (e) frustration around opportunity losses and restricted autonomy, (f) interpersonal conflict and intimate partner violence, and (g) institutional injustice or unfairness. However, we explain that as most existing studies are ethnographic, qualitative, or cross‐sectional, a causal relationship between water and mental ill‐health is yet to be confirmed empirically. More research on this topic is needed, particularly given that poorly understood connections may create barriers to achieving Sustainable Development Goals 3 (health) and 6 (water). We further suggest that tracking mental health indicators may provide unique and as‐yet underappreciated insights into the efficacy of water projects and other development interventions.This article is categorized under:
Engineering Water > Water, Health, and Sanitation
Human Water > Water as Imagined and Represented
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amber Wutich
- School of Human Evolution & Social Change Arizona State University Tempe Arizona USA
| | - Alexandra Brewis
- School of Human Evolution & Social Change Arizona State University Tempe Arizona USA
| | - Alexander Tsai
- Massachusetts General Hospital Harvard Medical School Boston Massachusetts USA
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Achore M, Bisung E, Kuusaana ED. Coping with water insecurity at the household level: A synthesis of qualitative evidence. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2020; 230:113598. [PMID: 32862072 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2020.113598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Revised: 07/05/2020] [Accepted: 07/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Water insecurity is a key public health and developmental challenge for many communities across the world. Using a meta-ethnographic synthesis, this study examines how households cope with water insecurity, as well as the socio-economic consequences and determinants of water insecurity coping strategies. A systematized keyword search was conducted in various electronic databases (PubMed, CINAHL EBSCOHost, Embase Ovid, Science Direct, Medline, Global Health, SCOPUS, Google and Google scholar). Out of 1352 potential articles, 21 studies were selected for review. Households employed nine key coping strategies. These strategies include water storage, construction of alternative water source, water sharing and borrowing from social networks, buying water from private vendors, water management and reuse, illegal connections to public water networks, water harvesting, fetching water from distant sources, and water treatment to improve the quality. Some of these coping strategies had far-reaching health and economic consequences, including the risk of water contamination, adverse psychosocial health, and impacts on household savings. We found that poor households, due to their over-reliance on short term labour-intensive and time-consuming coping strategies, are further economically disadvantaged by water insecurity. From a policy perspective, we recommend that investments in effective and efficient water supply infrastructure are needed to help alleviate the day-to-day hassles of water users. While policymakers are looking for long term solutions to these problems, some of the coping strategies identified in this synthesis, such as water conservation, water reuse, and purification of water before consumption, could be encouraged as supplementary strategies to meet households' immediate water needs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Meshack Achore
- School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, Queen's University Kingston, ON, Canada.
| | - Elijah Bisung
- School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, Queen's University Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Elias D Kuusaana
- Department of Real Estate and Land Management, University for Development Studies, Wa Upper West Region, Ghana
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Boateng GO, Balogun MR, Dada FO, Armah FA. Household energy insecurity: dimensions and consequences for women, infants and children in low- and middle-income countries. Soc Sci Med 2020; 258:113068. [PMID: 32534302 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 05/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Energy insecurity, the lack of access to adequate, affordable, reliable, acceptable, and clean sources of energy for a healthy and sustainable livelihood, poses a challenge to several households. However, the conceptualization of its dimensions and role in the health outcomes of women, infants, and children in most sub-Saharan African countries have rarely been investigated systematically. We assessed the dimensions and adverse consequences of household energy insecurity (HEINS) in a sample of 347 Ghanaians and 420 Nigerians, with over 80% participation of women. The majority of respondents from Ghana (57%) and Nigeria (80%) had experienced of energy insecurity, at least once in the last four weeks. Following the energy insecurity framework, the experiences of participants were classified into physical, behavioral, and economic dimensions of energy insecurity. The consequences of energy insecurity grouped into psychosocial, nutritional, and disease domains. The development of a national as well as a cross-culturally validated scale that embodies these dimensions and domains will facilitate the assessment of the prevalence, causes, and consequences of HEINS. This will eventually enable the development of interventions and policies to mitigate energy insecurity and unearth modifiable factors that influence deleterious maternal, infant and child health outcomes in low-and middle-income countries.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Godfred O Boateng
- Public Health Program, Department of Kinesiology, College of Nursing and Health Innovations, The University of Texas at Arlington, TX, USA.
| | - Mobolanle R Balogun
- Department of Community Health & Primary Care, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Festus O Dada
- Department of Community Health & Primary Care, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Frederick A Armah
- Department of Environmental Science, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Mushavi RC, Burns BFO, Kakuhikire B, Owembabazi M, Vořechovská D, McDonough AQ, Cooper-Vince CE, Baguma C, Rasmussen JD, Bangsberg DR, Tsai AC. "When you have no water, it means you have no peace": A mixed-methods, whole-population study of water insecurity and depression in rural Uganda. Soc Sci Med 2020; 245:112561. [PMID: 31790879 PMCID: PMC6936324 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.112561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2019] [Revised: 09/03/2019] [Accepted: 09/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lack of access to clean water has well known implications for communicable disease risks, but the broader construct of water insecurity is little studied, and its mental health impacts are even less well understood. METHODS AND FINDINGS We conducted a mixed-methods, whole-population study in rural Uganda to estimate the association between water insecurity and depression symptom severity, and to identify the mechanisms underlying the observed association. The whole-population sample included 1776 adults (response rate, 91.5%). Depression symptom severity was measured using a modified 15-item Hopkins Symptom Checklist for Depression. Water insecurity was measured with a locally validated 8-item Household Water Insecurity Access Scale. We fitted multivariable linear and Poisson regression models to the data to estimate the association between water insecurity and depression symptom severity, adjusting for age, marital status, self-reported overall health, household asset wealth, and educational attainment. These models showed that water insecurity was associated with depression symptom severity (b = 0.009; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.004-0.15) and that the estimated association was larger among men (b = 0.012; 95% CI, 0.008-0.015) than among women (b = 0.008; 95% CI, 0.004-0.012. We conducted qualitative interviews with a sub-group of 30 participants, focusing on women given their traditional role in household water procurement in the Ugandan context. Qualitative analysis, following an inductive approach, showed that water insecurity led to "choice-less-ness" and undesirable social outcomes, which in turn led to emotional distress. These pathways were amplified by gender-unequal norms. CONCLUSIONS Among men and women in rural Uganda, the association between water insecurity and depression symptom severity is statistically significant, substantive in magnitude, and robust to potential confounding. Data from the qualitative interviews provide key narratives that reveal the mechanisms through which women's lived experiences with water insecurity may lead to emotional distress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rumbidzai C Mushavi
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA.
| | - Bridget F O Burns
- Department of Urban Studies and Planning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, USA; Center for Global Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA
| | | | | | | | - Amy Q McDonough
- Center for Global Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA
| | | | - Charles Baguma
- Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Justin D Rasmussen
- Center for Global Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA; Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, USA
| | - David R Bangsberg
- Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda; Oregon Health and Science University-Portland State University School of Public Health, Portland, USA
| | - Alexander C Tsai
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA; Center for Global Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA; Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda; Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, Cambridge, USA
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Brewis A, Workman C, Wutich A, Jepson W, Young S, Ahmed JF, Alexander M, Balogun M, Boivin M, Carrillo G, Chapman K, Cole S, Collins S, Figueroa L, Freeman M, Gershim A, Ghattas H, Hagaman A, Jamaluddine Z, Jepson W, Tshala‐Katumbay D, Krishnakumar D, Maes K, Mathad J, Maupin J, Mbullo P, Miller J, Muslin IM, Niesluchowski M, Omidvar N, Pearson A, Melgar‐Quiñonez H, Sanchez‐Rodríguez C, Rosinger A, Santoso MV, Schuster R, Srivastava S, Staddon C, Stoler J, Sullivan A, Tesfaye Y, Triviño N, Trowell A, Tutu R, Escobar‐Vargar J, Zinab H. Household water insecurity is strongly associated with food insecurity: Evidence from 27 sites in low- and middle-income countries. Am J Hum Biol 2020; 32:e23309. [PMID: 31444940 PMCID: PMC9942689 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2019] [Revised: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 08/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Food and water insecurity have both been demonstrated as acute and chronic stressors and undermine human health and development. A basic untested proposition is that they chronically coexist, and that household water insecurity is a fundamental driver of household food insecurity. METHODS We provide a preliminary assessment of their association using cross-sectional data from 27 sites with highly diverse forms of water insecurity in 21 low- and middle-income countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and the Americas (N = 6691 households). Household food insecurity and its subdomains (food quantity, food quality, and anxiety around food) were estimated using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale; water insecurity and subdomains (quantity, quality, and opportunity costs) were estimated based on similar self-reported data. RESULTS In multilevel generalized linear mixed-effect modeling (GLMM), composite water insecurity scores were associated with higher scores for all subdomains of food insecurity. Rural households were better buffered against water insecurity effects on food quantity and urban ones for food quality. Similarly, higher scores for all subdomains of water insecurity were associated with greater household food insecurity. CONCLUSIONS Considering the diversity of sites included in the modeling, the patterning supports a basic theory: household water insecurity chronically coexists with household food insecurity. Water insecurity is a more plausible driver of food insecurity than the converse. These findings directly challenge development practices in which household food security interventions are often enacted discretely from water security ones.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Cassandra Workman
- University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina
| | | | | | - Sera Young
- Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
25
|
Wutich A. Water insecurity: An agenda for research and call to action for human biology. Am J Hum Biol 2019; 32:e23345. [PMID: 31697009 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Revised: 08/28/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Water insecurity-the lack of adequate and safe water for a healthy and productive life-is one of the greatest threats facing humans in the coming century. By 2030, half of the world is expected to be living in water-stressed conditions, given current climate change scenarios. A key goal of the UN Water Action Decade and Sustainable Development Goal 6 is to improve water security for the three billion people globally affected, but the future looks grim. For many communities, from Cape Town, South Africa to Flint, United States, the imagined dystopian future of severe water shortages has already arrived-shaped not so much by lack of water, but by aging infrastructure, underfunded utilities, social exclusion, politicized commodification, and environmental racism. Stepping off from my biocultural research in Cochabamba, Bolivia, I discuss how recent research is dramatically advancing our understanding of water insecurity, such as new findings around the biocultural causes and consequences of dehydration, contamination, and water stress. But, much more needs be done to support local communities in creating fair and just water systems. I discuss how human biologists can make crucial contributions toward the advancement of a much-needed science of water insecurity, while highlighting some practical and ethical challenges to advancing a core mission of providing safe, sufficient water to all.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amber Wutich
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Brewis A, Choudhary N, Wutich A. Household water insecurity may influence common mental disorders directly and indirectly through multiple pathways: Evidence from Haiti. Soc Sci Med 2019; 238:112520. [PMID: 31473576 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.112520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2019] [Revised: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Living in poverty significantly elevates risk of common mental disorders, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly specified. The stress of coping with household food insecurity is posed as one fundamental driver. While much less tested, the stress of failing to meet household water needs may also matter. We test (a) a hypothesized direct influence of household water insecurity (as household access to water sources and quality/quantity of water available in the household) on anxiety and depression symptoms. We also test (b) if there are indirect (mediated) effects of these aspects of water insecurity on common mental disorder symptom levels via household food insecurity, and (c) via their association with sanitation insecurity (lack of toilet). Data were collected in Haiti in June-July 2016 from 4,055 geographically-sampled households representing three distinct low-resource communities, purposefully differentiated as urban, town, and rural. We confirm that household water insecurity exerts a direct, strong independent effect on anxiety and depression levels, even once food insecurity and household assets are taken into account. Additionally, household water insecurity appears to have an indirect effect on anxiety and depression levels through its influence on household food insecurity. In the rural community sample, there is also support for the proposition of additional influence of household water on anxiety through its association with lack of sanitation. This Haitian case supports theories posing a central, influential role for household water insecurity as a potential driver of common mental illness in low-resource households via direct and indirect (food insecurity, sanitation) pathways.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Brewis
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA.
| | - Neetu Choudhary
- Center for Global Health, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Amber Wutich
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Nounkeu C, Kamgno J, Dharod J. Assessment of the relationship between water insecurity, hygiene practices, and incidence of diarrhea among children from rural households of the Menoua Division, West Cameroon. J Public Health Afr 2019; 10:951. [PMID: 31285814 PMCID: PMC6589635 DOI: 10.4081/jphia.2019.951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2018] [Accepted: 04/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The objectives of a cross-sectional, semi-quantitative study were to: i) assess the prevalence of water insecurity and its association with water access-related behaviors such as time, distance, and sources of water; ii) identify major themes of concern raised in reference to anxiety, water quality/quantity, and perceived health risk domains of water insecurity, and; iii) examine the relationship between water insecurity, hygiene practices, and diarrheal incidence among children in rural areas of the Menoua Division in the Western Region of Cameroon In-person interviews were conducted with 18 years or older women living with at least one child between 2 and 5 years old (n=134). Participants spent on average 17±12 minutes walking to a drinking water source. Prevalence of water insecurity was 58%, and it was associated with a lower hygiene score among caretakers, i.e., hygiene score of water secure: 9.2±1.2 vs. insecure:8.2±2.2, F(1, 132)=8.096, P<0.01). Overall, the incidence of diarrhea among children was 18%, and it was significantly higher among water insecure households (79%) compared with secure households (21%, P=0.02). In conclusion, access to improved sources of water is an issue in rural areas. Addressing water insecurity is critical in promoting optimal health and development of children due to its association with poor hygiene practices among caretakers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carole Nounkeu
- Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, USA
| | - Joseph Kamgno
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé 1, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Jigna Dharod
- Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, USA
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Brewis A, Choudhary N, Wutich A. Low water access as a gendered physiological stressor: Blood pressure evidence from Nepal. Am J Hum Biol 2019; 31:e23234. [DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2018] [Revised: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Brewis
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change Arizona State University Tempe Arizona
| | - Neetu Choudhary
- Center for Global Health Arizona State University Tempe Arizona
| | - Amber Wutich
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change Arizona State University Tempe Arizona
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Workman CL. Perceptions of drinking water cleanliness and health-seeking behaviours: A qualitative assessment of household water safety in Lesotho, Africa. Glob Public Health 2019; 14:1347-1359. [PMID: 30657028 DOI: 10.1080/17441692.2019.1566483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Despite the increased availability of improved water sources globally, enteric illnesses remain a source of significant morbidity and mortality. While the MDGs goal for safe water, i.e. improved sources, was met, substantial numbers of people still rely on unimproved sources for at least some of their water needs and contamination can occur between the source and consumption. Reviews and meta-analyses point to the need for better understanding of the cultural context for (HWT) technologies. Qualitative interviews (n = 56) conducted in the Maseru District of Lesotho (2011) addressed how people decided if their water was safe, their understanding of the linkage between water and enteric illness, and health-seeking behaviour. Respondents overwhelmingly relied on visual inspections to determine if their water was clean and not all participants linked consuming unsafe water with diarrheal disease. More than half of all respondents did not boil their water, despite believing that their primary source was not clean. People often have the knowledge necessary to ensure safe water but do not for myriad reasons, including financial constraints or habit. Data such as these are critical as the literature reveals often conflicting findings about the effectiveness of HWT and water safety takes on increasing importance in syndemic settings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra L Workman
- a Department of Sociology and Anthropology , Global WaSH Cluster, North Carolina State University , Raleigh , NC , USA
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Young SL, Collins SM, Boateng GO, Neilands TB, Jamaluddine Z, Miller JD, Brewis AA, Frongillo EA, Jepson WE, Melgar-Quiñonez H, Schuster RC, Stoler JB, Wutich A. Development and validation protocol for an instrument to measure household water insecurity across cultures and ecologies: the Household Water InSecurity Experiences (HWISE) Scale. BMJ Open 2019; 9:e023558. [PMID: 30782708 PMCID: PMC6340431 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-023558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION A wide range of water-related problems contribute to the global burden of disease. Despite the many plausible consequences for health and well-being, there is no validated tool to measure individual- or household-level water insecurity equivalently across varying cultural and ecological settings. Accordingly, we are developing the Household Water Insecurity Experiences (HWISE) Scale to measure household-level water insecurity in multiple contexts. METHODS AND ANALYSIS After domain specification and item development, items were assessed for both content and face validity. Retained items are being asked in surveys in 28 sites globally in which water-related problems have been reported (eg, shortages, excess water and issues with quality), with a target of at least 250 participants from each site. Scale development will draw on analytic methods from both classical test and item response theories and include item reduction and factor structure identification. Scale evaluation will entail assessments of reliability, and predictive, convergent, and discriminant validity, as well as the assessment of differentiation between known groups. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION Study activities received necessary ethical approvals from institutional review bodies relevant to each site. We anticipate that the final HWISE Scale will be completed by late 2018 and made available through open-access publication. Associated findings will be disseminated to public health professionals, scientists, practitioners and policymakers through peer-reviewed journals, scientific presentations and meetings with various stakeholders. Measures to quantify household food insecurity have transformed policy, research and humanitarian aid efforts globally, and we expect that an analogous measure for household water insecurity will be similarly impactful.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sera L Young
- Department of Anthropology, Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Shalean M Collins
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Godfred O Boateng
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Torsten B Neilands
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Zeina Jamaluddine
- Center for Research on Population and Health, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Joshua D Miller
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Alexandra A Brewis
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Edward A Frongillo
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
| | - Wendy E Jepson
- Department of Geography, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | | | - Roseanne C Schuster
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Justin B Stoler
- Department of Geography, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, USA
| | - Amber Wutich
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Wutich A, Budds J, Jepson W, Harris L, Adams E, Brewis A, Cronk L, DeMyers C, Maes K, Marley T, Miller J, Pearson A, Rosinger A, Schuster R, Stoler J, Staddon C, Wiessner P, Workman C, Young S. Household water sharing: A review of water gifts, exchanges, and transfers across cultures. WIRES. WATER 2018; 5:e1309. [PMID: 30858971 PMCID: PMC6407694 DOI: 10.1002/wat2.1309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Water sharing offers insight into the everyday and, at times, invisible ties that bind people and households with water and to one another. Water sharing can take many forms, including so-called "pure gifts," balanced exchanges, and negative reciprocity. In this paper, we examine water sharing between households as a culturally-embedded practice that may be both need-based and symbolically meaningful. Drawing on a wide-ranging review of diverse literatures, we describe how households practice water sharing cross-culturally in the context of four livelihood strategies (hunter-gatherer, pastoralist, agricultural, and urban). We then explore how cross-cutting material conditions (risks and costs/benefits, infrastructure and technologies), socio-economic processes (social and political power, water entitlements, ethnicity and gender, territorial sovereignty), and cultural norms (moral economies of water, water ontologies, and religious beliefs) shape water sharing practices. Finally, we identify five new directions for future research on water sharing: conceptualization of water sharing; exploitation and status accumulation through water sharing, biocultural approaches to the health risks and benefits of water sharing, cultural meanings and socio-economic values of waters shared; and water sharing as a way to enact resistance and build alternative economies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Ellis Adams
- PO Box 872402 Tempe 85287-2402, United States
| | | | - Lee Cronk
- PO Box 872402 Tempe 85287-2402, United States
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Sera Young
- PO Box 872402 Tempe 85287-2402, United States
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Cooper-Vince CE, Arachy H, Kakuhikire B, Vořechovská D, Mushavi RC, Baguma C, McDonough AQ, Bangsberg DR, Tsai AC. Water insecurity and gendered risk for depression in rural Uganda: a hotspot analysis. BMC Public Health 2018; 18:1143. [PMID: 30257659 PMCID: PMC6158871 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-018-6043-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2018] [Accepted: 09/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Water insecurity is linked to depression in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), though it remains unclear how geospatial clustering of water insecurity in rural regions is associated with risk for depression. Methods We conducted a population-based survey of a rural parish in southwestern Uganda (N = 1603) to evaluate the joint geospatial clustering of water insecurity and risk for depression among men and women living in rural Uganda. Results Geospatial clustering of self-reported water insecurity and depressive symptoms was found to be present among both men and women. Depression hotspots were more often observed near water insecurity hotspots among women, relative to men. Multivariable regression revealed that residing in a water insecurity hotspot significantly increased risk for depressive symptoms among women, but not among men. Conclusions Residing in a water insecurity hotspot is associated with greater risk for probable depression among women, but not among men, pointing to the need for focused depression screening among women residing in water insecure households.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Hawk Arachy
- Department of Environmental Management, Harvard University, Cambridge, USA
| | | | | | | | - Charles Baguma
- Mbarara University Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Amy Q McDonough
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA
| | - David R Bangsberg
- Mbarara University Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda.,Oregon Health Sciences University-Portland State University School of Public Health, Portland, USA
| | - Alexander C Tsai
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA.,Mbarara University Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Collins SM, Mbullo Owuor P, Miller JD, Boateng GO, Wekesa P, Onono M, Young SL. 'I know how stressful it is to lack water!' Exploring the lived experiences of household water insecurity among pregnant and postpartum women in western Kenya. Glob Public Health 2018; 14:649-662. [PMID: 30231793 DOI: 10.1080/17441692.2018.1521861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
There is rapidly evolving literature on water insecurity in the general adult population, but the role of water insecurity during the vulnerable periods of pregnancy and postpartum, or in the context of HIV, has been largely overlooked. Therefore, we conducted an exploratory study, using Go Along interviews, photo-elicitation interviews, and pile sorts with 40 pregnant and postpartum Kenyan women living in an area of high HIV prevalence. We sought to (1) describe their lived experiences of water acquisition, prioritisation, and use and (2) explore the consequences of water insecurity. The results suggest that water insecurity is particularly acute in this period, and impacts women in far-reaching and unexpected ways. We propose a broader conceptualisation of water insecurity to include consideration of the consequences of water insecurity for maternal and infant psychosocial and physical health, nutrition, and economic well-being.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shalean M Collins
- a Department of Anthropology , Northwestern University , Evanston , IL , USA
| | | | - Joshua D Miller
- a Department of Anthropology , Northwestern University , Evanston , IL , USA
| | - Godfred O Boateng
- a Department of Anthropology , Northwestern University , Evanston , IL , USA
| | | | | | - Sera L Young
- a Department of Anthropology , Northwestern University , Evanston , IL , USA.,c Institute for Policy Research , Northwestern University , Evanston , IL , USA
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Widen EM, Tsai I, Collins SM, Wekesa P, China J, Krumdieck N, Miller JD, Weiser SD, Onono M, Young SL. HIV infection and increased food insecurity are associated with adverse body composition changes among pregnant and lactating Kenyan women. Eur J Clin Nutr 2018; 73:474-482. [PMID: 30185898 DOI: 10.1038/s41430-018-0285-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2017] [Revised: 07/25/2018] [Accepted: 07/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Body composition changes markedly during reproduction. In sub-Saharan Africa, impacts of HIV infection on body composition across pregnancy and lactation in the context of Option B+ antiretroviral therapy are unknown. Therefore, we sought to evaluate the role of HIV infection on body composition during pregnancy and lactation among Kenyan women. SUBJECTS/METHODS A cohort of pregnant women (n = 333; 50.5% HIV+, receiving ART) were enrolled at seven clinics in western Kenya. Two prenatal (mean ± SD: 23.6 ± 4.4 and 33.4 ± 2.0 weeks gestation) and three postpartum (6, 14, and 36 weeks) measurements included: individual-level food insecurity, height, weight, fat mass (FM), and fat-free mass (FFM) by bioimpedance analysis (BIA), mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), and triceps skinfold (TSF), allowing for AMA (arm muscle area) and AFA (arm fat area) derivation. Multivariable longitudinal regression models were used to relate HIV to body composition changes. RESULTS In longitudinal models, HIV-infected women had lower weight (ß = -3.0 kg, p = 0.003), fat mass (ß = -1.5 kg, p = 0.02), fat-free mass (ß = -1.5 kg, p = 0.01), TSF (ß = -2.6 mm, p < 0.001), AFA (ß = -3.9 cm3, p < 0.001), and MUAC (ß = -1.0 cm, p = 0.001), but not AMA (p = 0.34), across all observations. Food insecurity was inversely associated with AMA and MUAC postpartum (AMA ß-range = -0.47 to -0.92 cm3; MUAC ß-range = -0.09 to -0.15 cm, all p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS HIV infection was associated with lower weight, fat mass, fat-free mass, TSF, AFA, and MUAC values during pregnancy and lactation, while food insecurity was intermittently associated with body composition. This suggests that pregnant and lactating women living with HIV and food insecurity could benefit from nutritional support.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M Widen
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Irene Tsai
- School of General Studies, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Shalean M Collins
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | | | - Joy China
- Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
| | | | - Joshua D Miller
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Sheri D Weiser
- School of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Sera L Young
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA. .,Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Geere JAL, Cortobius M, Geere JH, Hammer CC, Hunter PR. Is water carriage associated with the water carrier's health? A systematic review of quantitative and qualitative evidence. BMJ Glob Health 2018; 3:e000764. [PMID: 29989042 PMCID: PMC6035504 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2018-000764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2018] [Revised: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 05/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction The work of carrying water falls mainly on women and children, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and rural areas. While concerns have been raised, how water carriage is associated with health of the water carrier is not clear. The aim of this review is to summarise evidence on whether, and how, water carriage is associated with the water carrier’s health. Methods A systematic review of literature was conducted, searching Embase; Medline; Web of Science Social Sciences Citation Index; Web of Science Arts and Humanities Citation Index; International Initiative for Impact Evaluation website; WHO Virtual Health Sciences Library and WHO African index medicus, from inception to 8 November 2017. Results Forty-two studies were included. Their ability to demonstrate cause and effect relationships was limited by study design and fair or poor methodological quality. Overall, the studies suggest that water carriage is associated with negative aspects of the water carriers’ health. There is moderate quantitative and strong qualitative evidence that water carriage is associated with pain, fatigue, perinatal health problems and violence against vulnerable people, and inconclusive evidence of an association with stress or self-reported mental health and general health status. Conclusion In many circumstances, water carriage is a potential barrier to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 target ‘universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all’ and SDG 3 ‘ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages’. Efforts should focus on providing water on premises, and where this is not possible, providing water close to home and reducing risk of gender-based violence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jo-Anne Lee Geere
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - Moa Cortobius
- Stockholm International Water Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | | | - Paul R Hunter
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.,Department of Environmental Health, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Boateng GO, Collins SM, Mbullo P, Wekesa P, Onono M, Neilands TB, Young SL. A novel household water insecurity scale: Procedures and psychometric analysis among postpartum women in western Kenya. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0198591. [PMID: 29883462 PMCID: PMC5993289 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0198591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2017] [Accepted: 05/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Our ability to measure household-level food insecurity has revealed its critical role in a range of physical, psychosocial, and health outcomes. Currently, there is no analogous, standardized instrument for quantifying household-level water insecurity, which prevents us from understanding both its prevalence and consequences. Therefore, our objectives were to develop and validate a household water insecurity scale appropriate for use in our cohort in western Kenya. We used a range of qualitative techniques to develop a preliminary set of 29 household water insecurity questions and administered those questions at 15 and 18 months postpartum, concurrent with a suite of other survey modules. These data were complemented by data on quantity of water used and stored, and microbiological quality. Inter-item and item-total correlations were performed to reduce scale items to 20. Exploratory factor and parallel analyses were used to determine the latent factor structure; a unidimensional scale was hypothesized and tested using confirmatory factor and bifactor analyses, along with multiple statistical fit indices. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha and the coefficient of stability, which produced a coefficient alpha of 0.97 at 15 and 18 months postpartum and a coefficient of stability of 0.62. Predictive, convergent and discriminant validity of the final household water insecurity scale were supported based on relationships with food insecurity, perceived stress, per capita household water use, and time and money spent acquiring water. The resultant scale is a valid and reliable instrument. It can be used in this setting to test a range of hypotheses about the role of household water insecurity in numerous physical and psychosocial health outcomes, to identify the households most vulnerable to water insecurity, and to evaluate the effects of water-related interventions. To extend its applicability, we encourage efforts to develop a cross-culturally valid scale using robust qualitative and quantitative techniques.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Godfred O. Boateng
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Shalean M. Collins
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Patrick Mbullo
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States of America
| | | | | | - Torsten B. Neilands
- Department of Medicine, Division of Prevention Science, Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Sera L. Young
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States of America
- Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Brooks YM, Collins SM, Mbullo P, Boateng GO, Young SL, Richardson RE. Evaluating Human Sensory Perceptions and the Compartment Bag Test Assays as Proxies for the Presence and Concentration of Escherichia coli in Drinking Water in Western Kenya. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2017; 97:1005-1008. [PMID: 28749760 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.16-0878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
We compared the concentrations of Escherichia coli quantified with Colilert™ and the compartment bag test (CBT) in the source water and household stored drinking water (SDW) of 35 households in western Kenya. We also investigated the associations of the perceptions of organoleptic properties and overall quality with ≥ 1 MPN/100 mL E. coli in SDW. Participants who rated the taste or smell of their SDW "< 5" on a 1 = "poor" to 5 = "excellent" Likert scale were 8.71 or 7.04 times more likely, respectively, to have ≥ 1 MPN/100 mL E. coli. Organoleptic properties are innate, albeit imperfect, indicators of fecal pollution in water. Within their shared quantification range, concentrations of E. coli enumerated with Colilert and CBT were similar and had a significant correlation coefficient, 0.896 (95% confidence interval = 0.691-1.101). The methods had moderate agreement within the World Health Organization's health risk levels (Cohen's Kappa coefficient = 0.640). In low-resource settings, CBT provides comparable assessments of E. coli concentrations to Colilert.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yolanda M Brooks
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| | - Shalean M Collins
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.,Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostics, Program in International Nutrition, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| | - Patrick Mbullo
- Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Maseno University, Kisumu, Kenya.,Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois
| | - Godfred O Boateng
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.,Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostics, Program in International Nutrition, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| | - Sera L Young
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.,Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostics, Program in International Nutrition, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| | - Ruth E Richardson
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
|
39
|
Bisung E, Elliott SJ. Psychosocial impacts of the lack of access to water and sanitation in low- and middle-income countries: a scoping review. JOURNAL OF WATER AND HEALTH 2017; 15:17-30. [PMID: 28151436 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2016.158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The lack of access to safe water and adequate sanitation has implications for the psychosocial well-being of individuals and households. To review the literature on psychosocial impacts, we completed a scoping review of the published literature using Medline, Embase, and Scopus. Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed in detail. Of the included studies, six were conducted in India, one in Nepal, one in Mexico, one in Bolivia, two in Ethiopia, one in Zimbabwe, one in South Africa, and two in Kenya. Four interrelated groups of stressors emerged from the review: physical stressors, financial stressors, social stressors, and stressors related to (perceived) inequities. Further, gender differences were observed, with women carrying a disproportionate psychosocial burden. We argue that failure to incorporate psychosocial stressors when estimating the burden or benefits of safe water and sanitation may mask an important driver of health and well-being for many households in low- and middle-income countries. We propose further research on water-related stressors with particular attention to unique cultural norms around water and sanitation, short and long term psychosocial outcomes, and individual and collective coping strategies. These may help practitioners better understand cumulative impacts and mechanisms for addressing water and sanitation challenges.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elijah Bisung
- Department of Geography and Environmental Management, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, Canada E-mail:
| | - Susan J Elliott
- Department of Geography and Environmental Management, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, Canada E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|