Water, environment, and health nexus: understanding the risk factors for waterborne diseases in communities along the Tano River Basin, Ghana.

Autor:	Yeboah SIK; Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Energy and Natural Resources, P.O. Box 214, Sunyani, Ghana; Regional Centre for Energy and Environmental Sustainability (RCEES), University of Energy and Natural Resources, P.O. Box 214, Sunyani, Ghana E-mail: saeed.yeboah@uenr.edu.gh., Antwi-Agyei P; Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Energy and Natural Resources, P.O. Box 214, Sunyani, Ghana; Regional Centre for Energy and Environmental Sustainability (RCEES), University of Energy and Natural Resources, P.O. Box 214, Sunyani, Ghana., Kabo-Bah AT; Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Energy and Natural Resources, P.O. Box 214, Sunyani, Ghana; Regional Centre for Energy and Environmental Sustainability (RCEES), University of Energy and Natural Resources, P.O. Box 214, Sunyani, Ghana., Ackerson NOB; Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Energy and Natural Resources, P.O. Box 214, Sunyani, Ghana; Regional Centre for Energy and Environmental Sustainability (RCEES), University of Energy and Natural Resources, P.O. Box 214, Sunyani, Ghana.
Jazyk:	angličtina
Zdroj:	Journal of water and health [J Water Health] 2024 Aug; Vol. 22 (8), pp. 1556-1577. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Aug 07.
DOI:	10.2166/wh.2024.186
Abstrakt:	Freshwater pollution is a major concern in Ghana, directly impacting human health. However, the underlying drivers of exposure and risks are not comprehensively understood, emphasizing the severity and impact of these diseases. This study assessed the interaction between water and human health, specifically focusing on the risk factors for waterborne diseases and the drivers of water pollution among residents near the Tano River Basin, Ghana. A sample size of 400 households was selected from five communities within the basin based on their proximity to the Tano River. In addition, the study combined both spatial and non-spatial data sources to map potential flood zones for the basin. The study found that inadequate sanitation, poor hygiene practices, and contamination from illegal mining were the primary causative factors of waterborne diseases. Additionally, floods and improper waste management significantly contributed to disease outbreaks. The flood susceptibility analysis indicated that areas highly susceptible to flooding cover 21.2% of the basin, predominantly in the southern part. The results highlight the urgent need for comprehensive interventions to address the drivers of waterborne diseases. This study will contribute to the local authorities in developing plans to prevent waterborne diseases and mitigate their economic and public health impacts. Competing Interests: The authors declare there is no conflict. (© 2024 The Authors This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licence (CC BY 4.0), which permits copying, adaptation and redistribution, provided the original work is properly cited (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).)
Databáze:	MEDLINE
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