Waterborne Disease Prevention Branch, Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA E-mail:
Epidemiology and Statistics Branch, Division of Diabetes Translation, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA.
J Water Health. 2021 Dec;19(6):1014-1020. doi: 10.2166/wh.2021.118.
Tap water that is safe to consume may cause respiratory illness (e.g., Legionnaires' disease) when water conditions allow for proliferation and aerosolization of biofilm-associated pathogens. This study assessed household tap water consumption, exposure to aerosolized tap water, and associated demographics. A nationally representative FallStyles survey administered by Porter Novelli Public Services was sent to 4,677 US adult panelists in October 2019. There were 3,624 adults who completed the survey (77.5% response rate). Respondents were asked about self-reported use of household tap water for consumption (i.e., drinking, rinsing produce, or making ice) and use through water-aerosolizing devices (e.g., showerheads, humidifiers). Demographics included gender, age, race/ethnicity, education, income, region, and health status. Weighted analyses using complex sample survey procedures were used to assess tap water exposure by route and demographics. Most US adults are exposed to aerosolized tap water through showering (80.6%), and one in five are exposed through other water-aerosolizing devices (20.3%). Consumption and showering were greatest among older, White, higher educated, and higher-income adults. Aerosolized tap water can transmit waterborne pathogens and cause respiratory illness, especially among older age groups and people with weakened immune systems. These results will help target health messages for using water-aerosolizing devices safely.
安全可饮用的自来水，如果水的条件允许生物膜相关病原体的增殖和雾化，可能会导致呼吸道疾病（例如军团病）。本研究评估了家庭自来水的饮用、雾化自来水的暴露情况以及相关的人口统计学特征。2019 年 10 月，Porter Novelli Public Services 对 4677 名美国成年小组参与者进行了一项全国代表性的 FallStyles 调查。有 3624 名成年人完成了调查（响应率为 77.5%）。受访者被问及家庭自来水的自我报告用途（即饮用、冲洗农产品或制冰）以及通过水雾化设备（例如淋浴喷头、加湿器）的使用情况。人口统计学特征包括性别、年龄、种族/民族、教育程度、收入、地区和健康状况。使用复杂样本调查程序进行加权分析，以评估按途径和人口统计学特征划分的自来水暴露情况。大多数美国成年人通过淋浴接触雾化的自来水（80.6%），五分之一的人通过其他水雾化设备接触（20.3%）。在年龄较大、白人、受教育程度较高和收入较高的成年人中，消费和淋浴的比例最高。雾化的自来水可以传播水传播的病原体并导致呼吸道疾病，尤其是在年龄较大的人群和免疫系统较弱的人群中。这些结果将有助于针对安全使用水雾化设备的健康信息进行定位。
