A systematic review and meta-analysis of the association between self-reported diarrheal disease and distance from home to water source
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The aim of this study was to identify whether there was a relationship between the distance that people have to carry water home and ill health. We conducted a systematic review for papers that reported on the association between diarrheal risk and distance. Six papers were identified for inclusion in the meta-analysis. These were all observational studies, and only two reported effect sizes that adjusted for possible confounding. Multiple different types of water sources supplied the study communities. The combined odds ratio (OR) showed a significant increase in illness risk in people living farther away from their water source (OR = 1.45; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.04-1.68). There is a need for better designed studies to further elucidate the health impacts on having to carry water home.
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- Authors
- Wang, X., & Hunter, P. R.
- Affiliations
- University of East Anglia (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Hunter, Paul R.
- Venue
- The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
- Published
- 2010-09
- Volume
- 83
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 582-584
- ISSN
- 0002-9637 (ISSN-L)
- 1476-1645
- PMC
- PMC2929055
- OpenAlex
- W2171668678
- Cited by
- 70
- References
- 10
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 3 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 5
- FWCI
- 0.64
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- UEA Digital Repository (University of East Anglia) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Child Nutrition and Water Access
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Public Health and Environmental Issues
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Water Science and Technology › Water Resource Management and Quality
- Keywords
- diarrheal disease, waterborne diseases, domestic water supply, self-reported health
- MeSH terms
- Child, Diarrhea, Humans, Risk Factors, Water Supply
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