Analysis of Health Indicators in Two Rural Communities on the Colombian Caribbean Coast: Poor Water Supply and Education Level Are Associated with Water-Related Diseases

María Stephany Ruiz-Díaz Doctorado en Medicina Tropical, Grupo de Investigación UNIMOL, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cartagena, Cartagena de Indias, Colombia;

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Gustavo José Mora-García Doctorado en Medicina Tropical, Grupo de Investigación UNIMOL, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cartagena, Cartagena de Indias, Colombia;

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Germán Israel Salguedo-Madrid Grupo de Investigación UNIMOL, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cartagena, Cartagena de Indias, Colombia;

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Ángelo Alario Departamento Médico, Grupo de Investigación UNIMOL, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cartagena, Cartagena de Indias, Colombia.

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Doris Esther Gómez-Camargo Doctorado en Medicina Tropical, Grupo de Investigación UNIMOL, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cartagena, Cartagena de Indias, Colombia;

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Water-related diseases are closely linked with drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) indicators, socioeconomic status, education level, or dwelling’s conditions. Developing countries exhibit a particular vulnerability to these diseases, especially rural areas and urban slums. This study assessed socioeconomic features, WASH indicators, and water-related diseases in two rural areas of the Colombian Caribbean coast. Most of this population did not finish basic education (72.3%, N = 159). Only one of the communities had a water supply (aqueduct), whereas the other received water via an adapted tanker ship. No respondents reported sewage services; 92.7% (N = 204) had garbage service. Reported cases of diarrhea were associated with low education levels (P = 2.37 × 10−9) and an unimproved drinking water supply (P = 0.035). At least one fever episode was reported in 20% (N = 44) of dwellings, but the cases were not related to any indicator. The Aedes/House index (percentage of houses that tested positive for Aedes larvae and/or pupae) was 69%, the container index (percentage of water-holding containers positive for Aedes larvae or pupae) 29.4%, and the Breteau index (number of positive containers per 100 houses in a specific location) was three positive containers per 100 inspected houses. The presence of positive containers was associated with the absence of a drinking water supply (P = 0.04). The community with poorer health indicators showed greater health vulnerability conditions for acquisition of water-related diseases. In summary, water supply and educational level were the main factors associated with the presence of water-related diseases in both communities.

Author Notes

Address correspondence to Doris Gómez-Camargo, Doctorado en Medicina Tropical, Grupo de Investigación UNIMOL, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cartagena, Cartagena de Indias, Barrio Zaragocilla, Cartagena 130015, Colombia. E-mail: dmtropical@unicartagena.edu.co

Financial support: This work was carried out with the aid of a grant from the International Development Research Centre, Ottawa, Canada. M. S. R.-D and G. J. M.-G. were supported by the Colombian Administrative Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (COLCIENCIAS) through Res. 2286 and grant 528-2012, respectively.

Authors’ addresses: María Stephany Ruiz-Díaz, Gustavo José Mora-García, and Doris Esther Gómez-Camargo, Doctorado en Medicina Tropical, Grupo de Investigación UNIMOL, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cartagena, Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, E-mails: mruizd2@unicartagena.edu.co, gmorag@unicartagena.edu.co, and dmtropical@unicartagena.edu.co. Germán Israel Salguedo-Madrid, Grupo de Investigación UNIMOL, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cartagena, Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, E-mail: german.salguedo@outlook.com. Ángelo Alario, Departamento Médico, Grupo de Investigación UNIMOL, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cartagena, Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, E-mail: aalariob@unicartagena.edu.co.

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