Environmental health outcomes and exposure risks among at-risk communities living in the Upper Olifants River Catchment, South Africa

Juanette John; Caradee Yael Wright; Maria Aletta Oosthuizen; Maronel Steyn; Bettina Genthe; Wouter Le Roux; Patricia Albers; Paul Oberholster; Christiaan Pauw

doi:10.1080/09603123.2013.807327

Environmental health outcomes and exposure risks among at-risk communities living in the Upper Olifants River Catchment, South Africa

Juanette John^*, Caradee Yael Wright, Maria Aletta Oosthuizen, Maronel Steyn, Bettina Genthe, Wouter Le Roux, Patricia Albers, Paul Oberholster, Christiaan Pauw

^*Corresponding author for this work

Bristol Medical School (PHS)

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article (Academic Journal) › peer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Potential exposure to water and air pollution and associated health impacts of three low-income communities in the Upper Olifants River Catchment, South Africa, was investigated through a cross-sectional epidemiological study comprising a household survey. Water samples were collected and analysed for microbial indicators and pathogens. Ambient air-monitoring included some of the criteria pollutants, as well as mercury and manganese. Associations between environmental exposure and health outcomes were analysed by means of logistic regression. Despite poor water and air quality episodes, the communities self-perceived health was good with relatively low prevalence of reported health outcomes. Hygiene practices with respect to water collection and storage were often poor, and most likely contributed to the regularly contaminated water storage containers. Community proximity to the polluted stream was associated with increased prevalence in adverse health outcomes. This paper reports on preliminary results and additional multivariate analyses are necessary to further understand study results.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	195-214
Number of pages	20
Journal	International Journal of Environmental Health Research
Volume	24
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/09603123.2013.807327
Publication status	Published - 4 May 2014

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
demographic aspects. A pilot study testing the methodology was done prior to implementation of the full study. Concurrently with the health survey, ambient air quality monitoring and water sampling from the local stream, in-house taps, storage containers and communal water sources were carried out in the communities. Ethical approval for this study was granted by the CSIR Research Ethics Committee (No. 04/2010).

Funding Information:
This project was supported by a CSIR Parliamentary Grant. The communities, clinics and local councillors are thanked for their support and cooperation. The NOVA Institute are acknowledged for developing the survey plan and carrying out the fieldwork in collaboration with the CSIR. Community fieldworkers are thanked for the participation in both the household survey and water sampling campaigns.

Funding Information:
aNatural Resource and the Environment, CSIR, Pretoria, South Africa; bNatural Resources and the Environment, CSIR, Stellenbosch, South Africa; cEnvironment and Health Research Unit, Medical Research Council, Houghton, South Africa; dNOVA Institute, Pretoria, South Africa

Keywords

Air pollution
Exposure
Human health
Risk
Water pollution

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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John, J., Wright, C. Y., Oosthuizen, M. A., Steyn, M., Genthe, B., Le Roux, W., Albers, P., Oberholster, P., & Pauw, C. (2014). Environmental health outcomes and exposure risks among at-risk communities living in the Upper Olifants River Catchment, South Africa. International Journal of Environmental Health Research, 24(3), 195-214. https://doi.org/10.1080/09603123.2013.807327

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title = "Environmental health outcomes and exposure risks among at-risk communities living in the Upper Olifants River Catchment, South Africa",

abstract = "Potential exposure to water and air pollution and associated health impacts of three low-income communities in the Upper Olifants River Catchment, South Africa, was investigated through a cross-sectional epidemiological study comprising a household survey. Water samples were collected and analysed for microbial indicators and pathogens. Ambient air-monitoring included some of the criteria pollutants, as well as mercury and manganese. Associations between environmental exposure and health outcomes were analysed by means of logistic regression. Despite poor water and air quality episodes, the communities self-perceived health was good with relatively low prevalence of reported health outcomes. Hygiene practices with respect to water collection and storage were often poor, and most likely contributed to the regularly contaminated water storage containers. Community proximity to the polluted stream was associated with increased prevalence in adverse health outcomes. This paper reports on preliminary results and additional multivariate analyses are necessary to further understand study results.",

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note = "Funding Information: demographic aspects. A pilot study testing the methodology was done prior to implementation of the full study. Concurrently with the health survey, ambient air quality monitoring and water sampling from the local stream, in-house taps, storage containers and communal water sources were carried out in the communities. Ethical approval for this study was granted by the CSIR Research Ethics Committee (No. 04/2010). Funding Information: This project was supported by a CSIR Parliamentary Grant. The communities, clinics and local councillors are thanked for their support and cooperation. The NOVA Institute are acknowledged for developing the survey plan and carrying out the fieldwork in collaboration with the CSIR. Community fieldworkers are thanked for the participation in both the household survey and water sampling campaigns. Funding Information: aNatural Resource and the Environment, CSIR, Pretoria, South Africa; bNatural Resources and the Environment, CSIR, Stellenbosch, South Africa; cEnvironment and Health Research Unit, Medical Research Council, Houghton, South Africa; dNOVA Institute, Pretoria, South Africa",

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John, J, Wright, CY, Oosthuizen, MA, Steyn, M, Genthe, B, Le Roux, W, Albers, P, Oberholster, P & Pauw, C 2014, 'Environmental health outcomes and exposure risks among at-risk communities living in the Upper Olifants River Catchment, South Africa', International Journal of Environmental Health Research, vol. 24, no. 3, pp. 195-214. https://doi.org/10.1080/09603123.2013.807327

Environmental health outcomes and exposure risks among at-risk communities living in the Upper Olifants River Catchment, South Africa. / John, Juanette; Wright, Caradee Yael; Oosthuizen, Maria Aletta et al.
In: International Journal of Environmental Health Research, Vol. 24, No. 3, 04.05.2014, p. 195-214.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article (Academic Journal) › peer-review

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T1 - Environmental health outcomes and exposure risks among at-risk communities living in the Upper Olifants River Catchment, South Africa

AU - John, Juanette

AU - Wright, Caradee Yael

AU - Oosthuizen, Maria Aletta

AU - Steyn, Maronel

AU - Genthe, Bettina

AU - Le Roux, Wouter

AU - Albers, Patricia

AU - Oberholster, Paul

AU - Pauw, Christiaan

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N2 - Potential exposure to water and air pollution and associated health impacts of three low-income communities in the Upper Olifants River Catchment, South Africa, was investigated through a cross-sectional epidemiological study comprising a household survey. Water samples were collected and analysed for microbial indicators and pathogens. Ambient air-monitoring included some of the criteria pollutants, as well as mercury and manganese. Associations between environmental exposure and health outcomes were analysed by means of logistic regression. Despite poor water and air quality episodes, the communities self-perceived health was good with relatively low prevalence of reported health outcomes. Hygiene practices with respect to water collection and storage were often poor, and most likely contributed to the regularly contaminated water storage containers. Community proximity to the polluted stream was associated with increased prevalence in adverse health outcomes. This paper reports on preliminary results and additional multivariate analyses are necessary to further understand study results.

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KW - Air pollution

KW - Exposure

KW - Human health

KW - Risk

KW - Water pollution

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DO - 10.1080/09603123.2013.807327

M3 - Article (Academic Journal)

C2 - 23815773

SN - 0960-3123

VL - 24

SP - 195

EP - 214

JO - International Journal of Environmental Health Research

JF - International Journal of Environmental Health Research

IS - 3

ER -

Environmental health outcomes and exposure risks among at-risk communities living in the Upper Olifants River Catchment, South Africa

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

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