The relationship between in-home water service and the risk of respiratory tract, skin, and gastrointestinal tract infections among rural Alaska Natives

T.W. Hennessy, T. Ritter, R.C. Holman, D.L. Bruden, K.L. Yorita, L. Bulkow, J.E. Cheek, R.J. Singleton and J. Smith

American Journal of Public Health, 2008, vol. 98, issue 11, 2072-2078

Abstract: Objectives. We investigated the relationship between the presence of in-home piped water and wastewater services and hospitalization rates for respiratory tract, skin, and gastrointestinal tract infections in rural Alaska. Methods. We determined in-home water service and hospitalizations for selected infectious diseases among Alaska Natives by region during 2000 to 2004. Within 1 region, infant respiratory hospitalizations and skin infections for all ages were compared by village-level water services. Results. Regions with a lower proportion of home water service had significantly higher hospitalization rates for pneumonia and influenza (rate ratio [RR]=2.5), skin or soft tissue infection (RR=1.9), and respiratory syncytial virus (RR=3.4 among those younger than 5 years) than did higher-service regions. Within 1 region, infants from villages with less than 10% of homes served had higher hospitalization rates for pneumonia (RR=1.3) and respiratory syncytial virus (RR=1.2) than did infants from villages with more than 80% served. Outpatient Staphylococcus aureus infections (RR=5.1, all ages) and skin infection hospitalizations (RR=2.7, all ages) were higher in low-service than in high-service villages. Conclusions. Higher respiratory and skin infection rates were associated with a lack of in-home water service. This disparity should be addressed through sanitation infrastructure improvements.

Date: 2008
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2007.115618_9

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2007.115618

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