Drinking Water and Gastrointestinal Illness in Atlanta, 1993 - 2004 Público

Tinker, Sarah Ceaser (2007)

Permanent URL: https://etd.library.emory.edu/concern/etds/dr26xz07b?locale=pt-BR
Published

Abstract

Previous research has suggested municipal drinking water may contribute to endemic gastrointestinal (GI) illness in the U.S., but the results were inconsistent, and the burden of GI illness attributable to drinking water contamination remains unclear. Three studies were conducted to examine the population impact of multiple surrogates of drinking water quality in Atlanta, Georgia. These analyses made use of an extensive emergency department (ED) database containing information on more than 10 million visits made to 41 hospitals between 1993 and 2004. The first of these studies considered the association of GI illness with an estimate of the time taken by drinking water to travel from the treatment plant to the end user (water residence time). The second study examined the role of the drinking water treatment plant itself as a risk factor for GI illness, as source water quality and treatment methods differ by plant. The final study examined the association between turbidity, the primary indicator of drinking water quality used by utilities, and ED visits for GI illness using time-series methods. The results support roles for both the raw water source and the distribution system as sites of drinking water contamination. Filtered water turbidity, a primary water quality measure used by the utilities, did not appear to predict risk. Overall, these studies suggest that a low level of GI illness in Atlanta may be attributable to drinking water exposure, particularly among young children and the elderly.

Table of Contents

Chapter

 1         INTRODUCTION

 2         LITERATURE REVIEW: GASTROINTESTINAL ILLNESS

            Gastrointestinal Disease Processes

            Causes of Gastrointestinal Illness

            Organisms Causing Waterborne Gastrointestinal Illness

            Susceptible Subpopulations

            Routes of Waterborne Disease Transmission

 3         LITERATURE REVIEW: MICROBIAL DRINKING WATER QUALITY

            Drinking Water Treatment and Distribution

            Indicators of Water Quality

            Drinking Water Regulations in the U.S.

 4         LITERATURE REVIEW: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DRINKING WATER AND GASTROINTESTINAL ILLNESS IN THE U.S

            Drinking Water-Related Disease Outbreaks 

            Randomized-Controlled Interventional Trials

            Time-Series Studies

            Other Observational Studies

            Conclusion         

 5         PROJECT DESIGN AND ANALYSIS PLAN

            Dissertation Goals

            Research Project Design

            Research Project Population

            Water Quality Information

            Emergency Department Visit Information

            Covariate Information

            Epidemiologic Analyses

            Regression Diagnostics

            Power

             Limitations

            Contributions

 6    DRINKING WATER RESIDENCE TIME AND EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISITS FOR GASTROINESTINAL ILLNESS IN ATLANTA,  1996 - 2003

       Abstract

       Introduction

       Methods

       Results

       Discussion

       References

 7 DRINKING WATER TREATMENT PLANTS AND EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISITS FOR GASTROINTESTINAL ILLNESS IN ATLANTA, 1993 - 2004

    Abstract

       Introduction

       Methods

       Results

       Discussion

       References

 8         DRINKING WATER TURBIDITY AND EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISITS FOR GASTROINTESTINAL ILLNESS IN ATLANTA, 1993 - 2004

            Abstract

            Introduction

            Methods

            Results

            References 

 9         CONCLUSIONS

10        REFERENCES

Appendix

 A         ADDITIONAL ANALYSIS OF DRINKING WATER RESIDENCE TIME AND EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISITS FOR GASTROINTESTINAL ILLNESS IN ATLANTA, 1996 - 2003

 B         ADDITIONAL ANALYSIS OF DRINKING WATER TREATMENT PLANTS AND EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISITS FOR GASTROINTESTINAL ILLNESS IN ATLANTA, 1993 -2004    

 C         ADDITIONAL ANALYSIS OF DRINKING WATER TURBIDITY AND EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISITS FOR GASTROINTESTINAL ILLNESS IN ATLANTA, 1993 - 2004

About this ETD

Rights statement
  • Permission granted by the author to include this thesis or dissertation in this repository. All rights reserved by the author. Please contact the author for information regarding the reproduction and use of this thesis or dissertation.
School
Department
Degree
Submission
Language
  • English
Research Field
Palavra-chave
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor
Committee Members
Última modificação

Primary PDF

Supplemental Files