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Caputo A, Tomai M, Lai C, Desideri A, Pomoni E, Méndez HC, Castellanos BA, La Longa F, Crescimbene M, Langher V. The Perception of Water Contamination and Risky Consumption in El Salvador from a Community Clinical Psychology Perspective. IJERPH 2022; 19:ijerph19031109. [PMID: 35162132 PMCID: PMC8834013 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19031109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
This study was carried out as part of the international cooperation project “Agua Futura” for the improvement of water resource management and the promotion of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) behaviors in rural communities of Central America. Given the relevant healthcare problem of water pollution, especially in El Salvador, the aim was to detect some key factors affecting the perception of water contamination and its risky consumption from a community clinical psychological perspective. Ninety rural inhabitants of El Salvador were administered a structured interview exploring their perceptions about water quality and the impact of water consumption on health. Data were analyzed through a computer-aided thematic analysis—complemented by a qualitative analysis—allowing the detection of sense-making processes based on lexical variability. Different themes were identified with regard to the perception of water quality (i.e., mistrust, danger, and safety) and the beliefs about the impact of water consumption on health (i.e., rationalization, denial, awareness, displacement, and isolation of affect). The results showed heterogeneous perspectives about water quality and sanitation. However, the perceived negative impact of water consumption on health was mostly denied or minimized through massive distortions. Overall, the study highlights the role of defensive patterns in facing issues of water contamination, which may prevent the community from adopting healthy behaviors and adequate water management behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Caputo
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (M.T.); (C.L.); (A.D.); (V.L.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Manuela Tomai
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (M.T.); (C.L.); (A.D.); (V.L.)
| | - Carlo Lai
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (M.T.); (C.L.); (A.D.); (V.L.)
| | - Asia Desideri
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (M.T.); (C.L.); (A.D.); (V.L.)
| | - Elpiniki Pomoni
- Institute of Geosciences and Earth Resources, National Research Council, 56127 Pisa, Italy;
| | - Hilda Cecilia Méndez
- Faculty of Medicine, University of El Salvador (UES), San Salvador, El Salvador; (H.C.M.); (B.A.C.);
| | | | - Federica La Longa
- National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, 00143 Rome, Italy; (F.L.L.); (M.C.)
| | - Massimo Crescimbene
- National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, 00143 Rome, Italy; (F.L.L.); (M.C.)
| | | | - Viviana Langher
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (M.T.); (C.L.); (A.D.); (V.L.)
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Lai C, Pellicano GR, Méndez H, Castellanos BA, Pomoni E, Tomai M, Langher V, La Longa F, Crescimbene M. Retracted: Water Scarcity May Lead to Poor Mental Health: A Community-Focused Study in Rural El Salvador. Ecopsychology 2020. [DOI: 10.1089/eco.2020.0042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Lai
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Gaia Romana Pellicano
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Hilda Méndez
- University of El Salvador (UES), San Salvador, El Salvador
| | | | - Elpiniki Pomoni
- Institute of Geosciences and Earth Resources—National Research Council, Pisa, Italy
| | - Manuela Tomai
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Viviana Langher
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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