Diarrheal diseases in children from a water reclamation site in Mexico City

Environmental Health Perspectives, Oct, 2002 by Enrique Cifuentes, Leticia Suarez, Maritsa Solano, Rene Santos

Table 1. General characteristics of the study population.

                         Dry season (n = 732)   Rainy season (n=761)
Characteristics            No.   Percent          No.   Percent

Prevalence of acute
  diarrhea (last week)      78     10.7            90     11.8
Piped water supply
  inside the dwelling
  No                       178     24.3           178     23.4
  Yes                      554     75.7           583     76.6
Full-day water supply
  No                       488     66.7           486     63.9
  Yes                      244     33.3           275     36.1
Taste of water
  No                       492     67.2           487     64.0
  Yes                      240     32.8           274     36.0
Storage of drinking
  water
Commercially bottled       200     27.4           159     20.9
Covered jar                224     30.6           235     30.9
Unprotected cistern,
  bucket                   217     29.6           251     33.0
Protected cistern,
  bucket                    91     12.4           116     15.2
Availability of water
  for toilet flushing
  No                       488     63.8           440     59.4
  Yes                      244     36.2           301     40.6
Crowding (> 2 persons/
  bedroom)
  No                       332     45.4           289     38.0
  Yes                      400     54.6           472     62.0

Table 2. Bivariate analysis: risk factors for diarrheal diseases in
children.

                                          Dry season
Risk factors            N    Percent   n    OR    95% Cl      p-Value
Well water quality
(FC/100 mL)
  Clean                428    11.6     50   1
  Contaminated         304     9.2     28   0.7   0.47-1.25     0.28
Age of children
  < 1 year             101    11.8     12   1
  1-2 years            115    22.6     26   2.1   1.03-4.50     0.04
  > 2 years            516     7.7     40   0.6   0.31-1.23     0.17
Duration of
diarrheal episode
  1 day                 25    56.0     14   1
  [greater than or
  equal to 2 days
  (< 8 days)            75    82.6     62   3.7   1.39-10.08    0.01
Piped water inside
the dwelling
  Yes                  554     8.1     45   1
  No                   178    18.5     33   2.5   1.58-4.18     0.00
Hand washing
  Yes                  631     9.8     62   1
  No                   101    15.8     16   1.7   0.95-3.13     0.07
Taste of water
  No                   492     8.9     44   1
  Yes                  240    14.1     34   1.7   1.04-2.70     0.03
Color of water
  No                   679    10.1     69   1
  Yes                   53    16.9      9   1.8   0.84-3.86     0.12
Availability of
water for
toilet flushing
  Yes                  467     7.9     37   1
  No                   265    15.4     41   2.1   1.32-3.41     0.02
Storage of
drinking water
  Commercially
  bottled              200     9.5     19   1
  Covered jar          224     5.3     12   0.5   0.25-1.14     0.10
  Unprotected
  cistern or bucket    217    16.5     36   1.9   1.04-3.42     0.03
  Protected cistern
  or bucket             91    12.0     11   1.3   0.59-2.88     0.50
Consumption of
fast food/ street-
vendor products
  No                   217     7.8     17   1
  Yes                  515    11.8     61   1.6   0.90-2.77     0.11
Perceived "cause"
of diarrhea
  Poor hygiene         222     8.1     18   1
  Water and food       328    10.0     33   1.2   0.69-2.31     0.43
  Cultural syndromes
  (e.g., evil eye)     182    14.8     27   1.9   1.05-3.70     0.03
Crowding (> 2
persons/ bedroom) *
  Yes                  400    12.0     48   1.2   1.03-1.50     0.03

                                          Rainy season            p-
Risk factors            N    Percent    n    OR      95% Cl      Value
Well water quality
(FC/100 mL)
  Clean                574    11.4      66    1
  Contaminated         187    12.8      24    1.1    0.69-1.87    0.62
Age of children
  < 1 year              80    17.5      14    1
  1-2 years            125    18.4      23    1.0    0.51-2.12    0.87
  > 2 years            556     9.5      53    0.5    0.26-0.94    0.03
Duration of
diarrheal episode
  1 day                 27    81.4      22    1
  [greater than or
  equal to 2 days
  (< 8 days)            90    71.1      64    0.5    0.19-1.63    0.29
Piped water inside
the dwelling
  Yes                  583    11.1      65    1
  No                   178    14.0      25    1.3    0.79-2.13    0.29
Hand washing
  Yes                  110    14.5      16    1
  No                   651    11.3      74    0.7    0.42-1.34    0.34
Taste of water
  No                   487    10.2      50    1
  Yes                  274    14.5      40    1.5    0.95-2.33    0.07
Color of water
  No                   699    11.1      78    1
  Yes                   62    19.3      12    1.9    0.97-3.74    0.05
Availability of
water for
toilet flushing
  Yes                  440    12.0      53    1
  No                   301    11.3      34    0.93   0.58-1.46    0.75
Storage of
drinking water
  Commercially
  bottled              159    10.6      17    1
  Covered jar          235    13.6      32    1.3    0.70-2.46    0.38
  Unprotected
  cistern or bucket    251    12.3      31    1.1    0.62-2.20    0.61
  Protected cistern
  or bucket            116     8.6      10    0.8    0.34-1.79    0.56
Consumption of
fast food/ street-
vendor products
  No                   228     8.3      19    1
  Yes                  533    13.3      71    1.7    0.99-2.87    0.05
Perceived "cause"
of diarrhea
  Poor hygiene         272    12.5      34    1
  Water and food       312     9.9      31    0.7    0.46-1.30    0.32
  Cultural syndromes
  (e.g., evil eye)     177    14.1      25    1.1    0.66-2.00    0.61
Crowding (> 2
persons/ bedroom) *
  Yes                  476     1.1     462   11.9    0.91-1.29    0.41

Abbreviations: N, total number of children in category; n, number of
infected children (positive test). * Continuous variable.

Table 3. Logistic regression analysis: risk factors for diarrheal
diseases, dry season.
                                                                  p-
Variables                   N    Percent   n    OR     95% Cl     Value

Well water quality
  Clean                    428     11.7    50   1
  Contaminated             304      9.2    28   1.0   0.58-1.75    0.96
Age of children
  < 1 year                 101     11.9    12   1
  1-2 years                115     22.6    26   2.1   0.99-4.71    0.05
  > 2 years                516      7.8    40   0.6   0.29-1.22    0.15
Full-day water supply
  No                       488     11.9    58   1
  Yes                      244      8.2    20   0.5   0.27-0.86    0.01
Taste of water
  No                       492      8.9    44   1
  Yes                      240     14.2    34   1.7   0.97-2.92    0.06
Place for bathing
  Tap, yard outside        432      9.5    41   1
  Shower, bathroom         300     12.3    37   0.4   0.23-0.96    0.03
Storage of drinking
water
  Commercial bottle        200      9.5    19   1
  Covered jar              224      5.4    12   0.3   0.15-0.80    0.01
  Unprotected cistern
  or bucket                217     16.6    36   1.3   0.63-2.76    0.45
  Protected cistern
  or bucket                 91     12.1    11   0.9   0.38-2.19    0.84
Availability of water
for toilet flushing
  No                       265     15.5    41   1
  Yes                      467      7.9    37   0.3   0.16-0.67    0.002
Vegetable hygiene
  Disinfection, chlorine   216      6.5    14   1
  Water and soap           267     11.2    30   1.7   0.85-3.43    0.13
  Only water               249     13.7    34   2.2   1.10-4.39    0.02

Abbreviations: N, total number of children in category; n, number of
infected children (positive test).

Table 4. Logistic regression analysis: risk factors for diarrheal
diseases, rainy season.

Variables             N    Percent   n     OR    95% Cl     p-Value

Well water quality
(FC/100 mL)
  Clean              574     11.5    66   1
  Contaminated       187     12.8    24   1.1   0.69-1.75     0.68
Age of children
  < 1 year            80     17.5    14   1
  1-2 years          125     18.4    23   1.0   0.50-2.21     0.88
  > 2 years          556      9.5    53   0.5   0.26-0.95     0.03
Color of water
  No                 699     11.2    78   1
  Yes                 62     19.4    12   1.8   0.93-3.67     0.08
Consumption of
fast food/ street-
vendor products
  No                 228      8.3    19   1
  Yes                533     13.3    71   1.6   0.98-2.87     0.06

Abbreviations: N, total number of children in category; n, number of
infected children (positive test).