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Cited by 182Ergonomics and Musculoskeletal DisordersOccupational Health and PerformanceMusculoskeletal pain and rehabilitation

Domestic water carrying and its implications for health: a review and mixed methods pilot study in Limpopo Province, South Africa

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Geere, Jo-Anne L, Hunter, Paul R, Jagals, Paul·2010·Environmental Health
DOI 10.1186/1476-069x-9-52PMC PMC2939590
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Lack of access to safe water remains a significant risk factor for poor health in developing countries. There has been little research into the health effects of frequently carrying containers of water. The aims of this study were to better understand how domestic water carrying is performed, identify potential health risk factors and gain insight into the possible health effects of the task. METHODS: Mixed methods of data collection from six were used to explore water carrying performed by people in six rural villages of Limpopo Province, South Africa. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and through observation and measurement. Linear regression modelling were used to identify significant correlations between potential risk factors and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) or self reported pain. Independent t-tests were used to compare the mean values of potential risk factors and RPE between sub-groups reporting pain and those not reporting pain. RESULTS: Water carrying was mainly performed by women or children carrying containers on their head (mean container weight 19.5 kg) over a mean distance of 337 m. The prevalence of spinal (neck or back) pain was 69% and back pain was 38%. Of participants who carried water by head loading, the distance walked by those who reported spinal pain was significantly less than those who did not (173 m 95%CI 2-343; p = 0.048). For head loaders reporting head or neck pain compared to those who did not, the differences in weight of water carried (4.6 kg 95%CI -9.7-0.5; p = 0.069) and RPE (2.5 95%CI -5.1-0.1; p = 0.051) were borderline statistically significant. For head loaders, RPE was significantly correlated with container weight (r = 0.52; p = 0.011) and incline (r = 0.459; p = 0.018) CONCLUSIONS: Typical water carrying methods impose physical loading with potential to produce musculoskeletal disorders and related disability. This exploratory study is limited by a small sample size and future research should aim to better understand the type and strength of association between water carrying and health, particularly musculoskeletal disorders. However, these preliminary findings suggest that efforts should be directed toward eliminating the need for water carrying, or where it must continue, identifying and reducing risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders and physical injury.

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  • Women and children are generally responsible for water collection in many sub-Saharan African countries.

    “First, women and children are generally responsible for water collection in many SSA countries.”

    From An Analysis of Water Collection Labor among Women and Children in 24 Sub-Saharan African Countries (2016) · cites this paper as [10]

    The Results (Potential health risk factors; page unavailable) report that nearly all observed water carriers in the Limpopo study were women or children, and the Background says women and children typically collect domestic water in developing countries. The paper does not establish that this pattern holds in many sub-Saharan African countries specifically. (LLM, conf=0.85)

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1 of the 70 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Bradshaw D Nannan N Ijumba P, Padarath A Mortality and morbidity among women and children South African Health Review 2006 Durban: Health Systems Trust

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Related

Authors
Geere, J.-A. L., Hunter, P. R., & Jagals, P.
Affiliations
  • University of East Anglia (GB)
  • Tshwane University of Technology (ZA)
Corresponding author
Hunter, Paul R
ORCID
Venue
Environmental Health
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2010-08-26
Volume
9
Issue
1
Pages
52-52
ISSN
1476-069X (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1186/1476-069x-9-52
PMC
PMC2939590
OpenAlex
W2121916445
Cited by
182
References
70
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 20 · 2020: 18 · 2019: 16 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 5
FWCI
7.00
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Environmental Health (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • UEA Digital Repository (University of East Anglia) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
  • Water Research Commission
  • Tshwane University of Technology
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Ergonomics and Musculoskeletal Disorders
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › Occupational Therapy › Occupational Health and Performance
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Musculoskeletal pain and rehabilitation
Keywords
water carrying, musculoskeletal disorders, back pain, neck pain, perceived exertion, physical workload, women and children, rural villages, Limpopo Province, safe water access
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Back Pain, Child, Female, Humans, Male, Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena, Pilot Projects, Risk Factors, South Africa, Water, Weight Lifting, Neck Pain, Young Adult

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