The embodiment of water insecurity: Injuries and chronic stress in lowland Bolivia

Objectives: This study examines the associations between water insecurity, self-reported physical health, and objective measures of biological health among 225 Awajún adults (107 women; 118 men) living in the Peruvian Amazon, a "water-abundant" region. Methods: A survey, which included multiple measures of self-reported physical health, and objective measures of biological health such as blood pressure and nutritional and immune biomarkers. Results: Greater water insecurity was associated with multiple measures of self-reported physical health, including higher incidence of reported diarrhea, nausea, back pain, headaches, chest pain, fatigue, dizziness, overall poor perceived health, and "being sick." These symptoms align with the physical strain associated with water acquisition and with drinking contaminated water. A significant association between higher water insecurity and lower systolic blood pressure emerged, which may be linked to dehydration. None of the other biomarkers, including those for nutrition, infection, and stress were significantly associated with water insecurity scores.Conclusions: These analyses add to the growing body of research examining the associations between water insecurity and health. Biocultural anthropologists are well-positioned to continue probing these connections. Future research will investigate relationships between measures of water insecurity and biomarkers for gastrointestinal infection and inflammation in water-scarce and water-abundant contexts.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Water insecurity, self‐reported physical health, and objective measures of biological health in the Peruvian Amazon

Tallman

Collins

Chaparro

et al. 2022

“…Tsimane' face a range of basic problems with lack of access to running water and electricity (Leonard et al, 2015; Rosinger, 2018; Rosinger & Tanner, 2015). This poor access to clean water results in high rates of diarrheal diseases, parasitic infections, as well as injuries and stress (Blackwell et al, 2011; Dinkel et al, 2020; Rosinger et al, 2021; Rosinger & Tanner, 2015; Tanner et al, 2009; Tanner et al, 2013). Houses are primarily constructed on elevated packed mud or dirt with palm‐thatched roofs, though villages that are closer to the main market town are increasingly using metal roofs, and some communities are receiving brick houses.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Furthermore, exposure to standing water can increase respiratory viruses through mold growth, displacement, crowding, and malnutrition (Milojevic et al, 2012). Worries surrounding water following floods—from contamination of water which increases scarcity of clean water, fear of infection, and standing water—can result in heightened water insecurity and psychosocial stress (Rosinger et al, 2021; Wutich et al, 2020). Food insecurity, similar to and in conjunction with water insecurity, can increase psychosocial stress and has important nutritional implications (Brewis et al, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

When the flood passes, does health return? A short panel examining water and food insecurity, nutrition, and disease after an extreme flood in lowland Bolivia

Rosinger

Barnhart

et al. 2022

Self Cite

Objectives Flooding is the most frequent extreme‐weather disaster and disproportionately burdens marginalized populations. This article examines how food and water insecurity, blood pressure (BP), nutritional status, and diarrheal and respiratory illnesses changed during the 2 months following a historic flood in lowland Bolivia. Methods Drawing on longitudinal data from Tsimane' forager‐horticulturalist (n = 118 household heads; n = 129 children) directly after a historic 2014 flood and ~2 months later, we use fixed effects linear regression and random effects logistic regression models to test changes in the markers of well‐being and health over the recovery process. Results Results demonstrated that water insecurity scores decreased significantly 2 month's postflood, while food insecurity scores remained high. Adults' systolic and diastolic BP significantly declined 2 months after the flood's conclusion. Adults experienced losses in measures of adiposity (BMI, sum of four skinfolds, waist circumference). Children gained weight and BMI‐for‐age Z‐scores indicating buffering of children by adults from food stress that mainly occurred in the community closer to the main market town with greater access to food aid. Odds of diarrhea showed a nonsignificant decline, while cough increased significantly for both children and adults 2 months postflood. Conclusions Water insecurity and BP improved during the recovery process, while high levels of food insecurity persisted, and nutritional stress and respiratory illness worsened. Not all indicators of well‐being and health recover at the same rate after historic flooding events. Planning for multiphase recovery is critical to improve health of marginalized populations after flooding.

“…Next, on the human biology and health outcome side of the equation, a range of well‐known along with novel methods can be useful to measure the effects of climate change exposures: Retrospective minimally invasive biomarkers can be linked to the timing of climatic exposures. For example, several studies have used hair and nail cortisol concentration to examine chronic stress retrospectively in relation to other events (Binz et al, 2018; Horan et al, 2022; Jankovic‐Rankovic et al, 2020; Rosinger, Bethancourt, Young, & Schultz, 2021; Stalder et al, 2017). Other studies have shown how different timescales from 1 week, 3 months, and 20 months can be used to understand recent patterns of infection and immune function with C‐reactive protein, immunoglobulin E, and immunoglobulin G (Urlacher et al, 2018).…”

Section: Future Research Directions and Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Extreme climatic events and human biology and health: A primer and opportunities for future research

Rosinger

2022

Self Cite

Extreme climatic events are increasing in frequency, leading to hotter temperatures, flooding, droughts, severe storms, and rising oceans. This special issue brings together a collection of seven articles that describe the impacts of extreme climatic events on a diverse set of human biology and health outcomes. The first two articles cover extreme temperatures extending from extreme heat to cold and changes in winter weather and the respective implications for adverse health events, human environmental limits, well‐being, and human adaptability. Next, two articles cover the effects of exposures to extreme storms through an examination of hurricanes and cyclones on stress and birth outcomes. The following two articles describe the effects of extreme flooding events on livelihoods, nutrition, water and food insecurity, diarrheal and respiratory health, and stress. The last article examines the effects of drought on diet and food insecurity. Following a brief review of each extreme climatic event and articles covered in this special issue, I discuss future research opportunities–highlighting domains of climate change and specific research questions that are ripe for biological anthropologists to investigate. I close with a description of interdisciplinary methods to assess climate exposures and human biology outcomes to aid the investigation of the defining question of our time – how climate change will affect human biology and health. Ultimately, climate change is a water, food, and health problem. Human biologists offer a unique perspective for a combination of theoretical, methodological, and applied reasons and thus are in a prime position to contribute to this critical research agenda.