The maladies of water and war: Addressing poor water quality in Iraq

T.R. Zolnikov

American Journal of Public Health, 2013, vol. 103, issue 6, 980-987

Abstract: Water is essential in providing nutrients, but contaminated water contributes to poor population health. Water quality and availability can change in unstructured situations, such as war. To develop a practical strategy to address poor water quality resulting from intermittent wars in Iraq, I reviewed information from academic sources regarding waterborne diseases, conflict and war, water quality treatment, and malnutrition. The prevalence of disease was high in impoverished, malnourished populations exposed to contaminated water sources. The data aided in developing a strategy to improve water quality in Iraq, which encompasses remineralized water from desalination plants, health care reform, monitoring and evaluation systems, and educational public health interventions.

Keywords: epidemic; health care policy; health promotion; human; Iraq; methodology; review; standard; statistics; war; water quality; water supply, Disease Outbreaks; Health Care Reform; Health Promotion; Humans; Iraq; War; Water Quality; Water Supply (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2012.301118_2

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2012.301118

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