Levêque Jonas Germain, Burns Robert Clyde
School of Natural Resources, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA E-mail:
J Water Health. 2018 Oct;16(5):827-838. doi: 10.2166/wh.2018.129.
West Virginia has had a history of water quality issues. In parallel, the world is facing a plastic pollution crisis. In order to better understand behavioral responses to perceived water quality, a survey was conducted at a major research university to ask participants about water quality perceptions and drinking water behaviors. A total of 4,188 students completed the survey during the Spring 2017 semester. Logistic regression analyses were used to predict behaviors. Results indicated that a third of the student population primarily used bottled water for drinking purposes at home, while 39% used a filter at home and 26% drank water directly from the tap. On campus, bottled water use was reported by 36% of the students, water fountain use represented 31%, and 29% of the students brought their own water with reusable cups/bottles. Health risk perceptions, organoleptic perceptions (i.e., taste, odor, color), and environmental concern were predictors of the different behaviors. Students originally from West Virginia had a higher propensity of using bottled water. We argue that bottled water consumption should be reduced in areas where water quality is not an issue. In this sense, there is a need for education among the student population in West Virginia.
西弗吉尼亚州一直存在水质问题。与此同时，全球正面临塑料污染危机。为了更好地了解人们对感知到的水质的行为反应，在一所主要研究型大学开展了一项调查，询问参与者对水质的看法以及饮用水行为。在2017年春季学期，共有4188名学生完成了该调查。采用逻辑回归分析来预测行为。结果表明，三分之一的学生群体在家主要使用瓶装水饮用，39%的学生在家使用过滤器，26%的学生直接饮用自来水。在校园里，36%的学生报告使用瓶装水，31%的学生使用饮水机，29%的学生自带可重复使用的杯子/瓶子装水。健康风险认知、感官认知（即味道、气味、颜色）和环境关注度是不同行为的预测因素。来自西弗吉尼亚州的学生使用瓶装水的倾向更高。我们认为，在水质不存在问题的地区，应减少瓶装水的消费。从这个意义上说，西弗吉尼亚州的学生群体需要接受教育。
