Enteric Pathogens, Exposure to Chemical Pollution, Water-Related Diseases
Conditions
Brief summary
Consumption of unsafe drinking water is associated with a substantial burden of disease globally. In the USA, the burden of disease associated with consumption of contaminated drinking water from non-regulated private wells and springs in rural areas is relatively understudied and unclear. For some lower-income households in rural areas of the USA without access to reliably safe drinking water, point-of-use treatment with relatively low-cost pitcher filters could help to reduce exposures to contaminated water and associated adverse health outcomes. This pilot randomized controlled intervention trial will provide information and data on water quality and contamination exposures, associated health outcomes, and the adoption potential of point-of-use water filters in rural areas of Virginia and Tennessee.
Interventions
DEVICECountertop pitcher water filter
Point-of-use drinking water filter
Sponsors
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
East Tennessee State University
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Ballad Health
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
6 Months to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* The household does not have utility-supplied water at the time of enrollment, * The household is considered to be "low-income" (based on federally defined income limits), * The household is in one of the selected study counties in TN or VA.
Exclusion criteria
* None (no exclusion criterion based on gender, race, ethnicity, language, or literacy).
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| E. coli detection in drinking water | 12 months | Proportion of households with E. coli (indicator of fecal contamination) detected in drinking water samples |
| Heavy metals or other contaminants exceeding EPA MCL | 12 months | Proportion of households with contaminants detected in drinking water at concentrations exceeding the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCL) |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Gastrointestinal illness | 12 months | Incidence of acute gastrointestinal illness via self-reported diarrhea (7-day recall) |
| Pathogen infection | 12 months | Detection of enteric pathogen infection via qPCR analysis of stool samples and salivary antibody assays |
Countries
United States
Contacts
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORAlasdair Cohen, PhD
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Outcome results
None listed