A comparative cohort study of the effect of rainfall and temperature on diarrhoeal disease in faecal sludge and non-faecal sludge applying communities, Northern Ghana

Abstract

This study assesses the effect of temperature and rainfall on diarrhoea incidence in sludge and non-faecal sludge applying farming communities in Northern Ghana. Diarrhoea episode data were obtained through an open cohort survey involving 1,341 and 1,323 individuals from the sludge and non-faecal sludge communities, respectively. The effects of temperature and rainfall variables on diarrhoea incidence were assessed using autoregressive Poisson regression models. Maximum rainfall events in the same bi-week increased the risk of diarrhoea in the sludge (relative risk, RR: 1.034; confidence interval, CI: 1.02–1.05) and non-sludge (RR: 1.003; CI: 0.99–1.01) communities. However, this was not significant in the non-sludge communities (p > 0.05). Minimum rainfall occurring in the same bi-week decreased the risk of diarrhoea in both communities. Maximum temperature decreased the risk of diarrhoea in the sludge communities (RR: 0.50; CI: 0.38–0.65), but increased the risk in the non-sludge communities (RR: 1.19 CI: 1.02–1.40). Minimum temperature increased diarrhoea disease risk (RR: 3.50; CI: 2.10–5.80) in the sludge communities, but decreased the risk (RR: 0.70; CI: 0.54–0.84) in the non-sludge communities. The study stresses the need to account for weather variables when developing schemes for the land application of faecal sludge.

Untangling the Impacts of Climate Change on Waterborne Diseases: a Systematic Review of Relationships between Diarrheal Diseases and Temperature, Rainfall, Flooding, and Drought

“…For example, rainfall effects on diarrhea can vary by local practices such as fecal sludge application in agricultural communities. 81 …”

Heavy rainfall and risk of infectious intestinal diseases in the most populous city in Vietnam

“…This is the first study to comprehensively examine the short-term pattern of change in hospitalization due to intestinal infectious diseases in relation to heavy rainfall events The positive association between heavy rainfall and intestinal infectious disease admissions found in this study is consistent with the evidence reported from previous studies. A recent systematic review by Levy et al (2016) found that 71% of articles reported a significant association between heavy rainfall and diarrhoea, and this positive association was observed in both developing (Dewan et al 2013;Seidu et al 2013;Adkins et al 1987;Hashizume et al 2007) and developed countries (Curriero et al 2001;Thomas et al 2006;Chou et al 2010;Nichols et al 2009;Rose et al 2000). A study in the USA (Drayna et al 2010) also found that any rainfall four days prior was significantly associated with an 11% increase in acute hospital visits due to infectious intestinal diseases.…”

“…Such extreme weather events are considered significant health hazards which cause increased morbidity and mortality (Ye et al 2012;Basu and Ostro 2008). Heavy rainfall events have been found to be associated with an elevated risk of waterborne diseases in both developed (Curriero et al 2001; Thomas et al 2006;Nichols et al 2009;Chou et al 2010;Jagai et al 2015;Wade et al 2014) and developing countries (Adkins et al 1987;Dewan et al 2013;Seidu et al 2013). However, the relationship between heavy rainfall events and hospital admissions for specific intestinal infectious diseases has not been well described in previous studies.…”

Assessing the impact of socio-economic development and climate change on faecal indicator bacteria in the Betna River, Bangladesh

“…In most studies one environmental variable and one statistical method at a time (either correlation or regression analysis) were used (Table 1.1). All identified studies positively correlated precipitation and pathogen concentrations (Funari et al, 2012b, Abia et al, 2015, Vermeulen and Hofstra, 2013, Martinez et al, 2014, Isobe et al, 2004 and waterborne diseases (Seidu et al, 2013, Thomas et al, 2006, Chou et al, 2010. Most of these studies that are conducted in the temperate regions, reported a negative correlation with water temperature (Shibata et al, 2004, Walters et al, 2011, Olyphant and Whitman, 2004, Vermeulen and Hofstra, 2013, while most tropical studies reported a positive correlation (Koirala et al, 2008, Kelly-Hope et al, 2007, Huang et al, 2008.…”