Goodman Michael, Elliott Aleisha, Gitari Stanley, Keiser Philip H, Raimer-Goodman Lauren A
UTMB Department of Internal Medicine, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, TX 77555, USA E-mail:
UTHealth School of Public Health, 1200 Pressler St, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
J Water Health. 2016 Jun;14(3):513-27. doi: 10.2166/wh.2016.230.
Water quality is an important determinant of diarrheal illnesses, especially affecting children in sub-Saharan Africa. Orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in sub-Saharan Africa are at increased risk of poor quality drinking water, and therefore of diarrheal illness. The present study assesses primary drinking water source and typical household water purification among OVC households involved in a multi-sectoral empowerment program in semi-rural Kenya. Findings show water purification practices, but not water source, significantly increase with more time in the program. Other factors associated with safer water include household income, orphan type, food consumption and security, school completion, psychological resilience, engaging in sexual intercourse with more than one partner in the past 12 months, and previous year's financial status. Incorporating water quality improvements in a community-based empowerment program such as the one described may be one method of improving water quality and decreasing diarrheal illnesses among OVCs in sub-Saharan Africa.
水质是腹泻疾病的一个重要决定因素，尤其影响撒哈拉以南非洲的儿童。撒哈拉以南非洲的孤儿和弱势儿童面临饮用水质量差的风险增加，因此也面临腹泻疾病的风险。本研究评估了肯尼亚半农村地区参与多部门赋权项目的孤儿和弱势儿童家庭的主要饮用水源和典型家庭水净化情况。研究结果表明，随着参与项目时间的增加，水净化措施显著增加，但水源情况并非如此。与更安全用水相关的其他因素包括家庭收入、孤儿类型、食物消费与安全、学业完成情况、心理复原力、在过去12个月内与多个伴侣发生性行为以及上一年的财务状况。将改善水质纳入如上述所描述的基于社区的赋权项目中，可能是改善撒哈拉以南非洲孤儿和弱势儿童水质并减少腹泻疾病的一种方法。
