Public perception of drinking water safety in South Africa 2002–2009: a repeated cross-sectional study

BMC Public Health

Stephen W Gundry¹  Ulrike Rivett³  Hong Yang²  Jim A Wright² 

[1] Water and Health Research Centre, Merchant Venturers Building, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1UB, UK;Geography and Environment, University of Southampton, University Road, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK;iCOMMS, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7700, Cape Town, South Africa

关键词: Cholera;    South Africa;    Consumer perception;    Water quality;    Drinking water;    Water safety;    Household survey;   

Others  :  1163419
DOI  :  10.1186/1471-2458-12-556

 received in 2012-03-20, accepted in 2012-07-13,  发布年份 2012

【 摘 要 】

Background

In low and middle income countries, public perceptions of drinking water safety are relevant to promotion of household water treatment and to household choices over drinking water sources. However, most studies of this topic have been cross-sectional and not considered temporal variation in drinking water safety perceptions. The objective of this study is to explore trends in perceived drinking water safety in South Africa and its association with disease outbreaks, water supply and household characteristics.

Methods

This repeated cross-sectional study draws on General Household Surveys from 2002–2009, a series of annual nationally representative surveys of South African households, which include a question about perceived drinking water safety. Trends in responses to this question were examined from 2002–2009 in relation to reported cholera cases. The relationship between perceived drinking water safety and organoleptic qualities of drinking water, supply characteristics, and socio-economic and demographic household characteristics was explored in 2002 and 2008 using hierarchical stepwise logistic regression.

Results

The results suggest that perceived drinking water safety has remained relatively stable over time in South Africa, once the expansion of improved supplies is controlled for. A large cholera outbreak in 2000–02 had no apparent effect on public perception of drinking water safety in 2002. Perceived drinking water safety is primarily related to water taste, odour, and clarity rather than socio-economic or demographic characteristics.

Conclusion

This suggests that household perceptions of drinking water safety in South Africa follow similar patterns to those observed in studies in developed countries. The stability over time in public perception of drinking water safety is particularly surprising, given the large cholera outbreak that took place at the start of this period.

【 授权许可】

   
2012 Wright et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

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