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Can Integrated Watershed Management Contribute to Improvement of Public Health? A Cross-Sectional Study from Hilly Tribal Villages in India

Author

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  • Sandeep S. Nerkar

    (Department of Public Health Sciences, Global Health (IHCAR), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, SE 171 77, Sweden
    Department of Environmental Medicine, Indian Initiative for Management of Antibiotic Resistance, R. D. Gardi Medical College, Ujjain 456010, India)

  • Ashish Pathak

    (Department of Public Health Sciences, Global Health (IHCAR), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, SE 171 77, Sweden
    Department of Pediatrics, R. D. Gardi Medical College, Ujjain 456010, India
    Department of Women and Children's Health, International Maternal and Child Health Unit, Uppsala University, Uppsala, SE 751 85, Sweden)

  • Cecilia Stålsby Lundborg

    (Department of Public Health Sciences, Global Health (IHCAR), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, SE 171 77, Sweden)

  • Ashok J. Tamhankar

    (Department of Public Health Sciences, Global Health (IHCAR), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, SE 171 77, Sweden
    Department of Environmental Medicine, Indian Initiative for Management of Antibiotic Resistance, R. D. Gardi Medical College, Ujjain 456010, India)

Abstract

Tribal people living in hilly areas suffer from water scarcity in many parts of the world, including India. Water scarcity adversely impacts all aspects of life, including public health. Implementation of an Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) can help solve the problems arising out of water scarcity in such areas. However, the knowledge about and views of the water scarcity sufferers on the public health implications of IWMP have not been well documented. This cross-sectional study was performed in six purposively selected tribal villages located in Maharashtra, India. In three of the villages IWMP had been implemented (IWMV), but not in the other three (NWMV). The head of each household in all villages was interviewed using a questionnaire covering various public health aspects relevant to the villages. A total of 286/313 (92%) households participated in the study. Compared to NWMV, respondents in IWMV experienced significantly lesser prolonged water scarcity (OR = 0.39), had greater number of toilets (OR = 6.95), cultivated more variety of crops (OR = 2.61), had lower migration (OR = 0.59), higher number of girls continuing education (OR = 3.04) and better utilized modern healthcare facilities in the antenatal, natal and postnatal period (OR = 3.75, 2.57, 4.88 respectively). Thus, tribal people in IWMP-implemented villages reported advantages in many aspects of public health.

Suggested Citation

  • Sandeep S. Nerkar & Ashish Pathak & Cecilia Stålsby Lundborg & Ashok J. Tamhankar, 2015. "Can Integrated Watershed Management Contribute to Improvement of Public Health? A Cross-Sectional Study from Hilly Tribal Villages in India," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-17, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:12:y:2015:i:3:p:2653-2669:d:46198
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sandeep S. Nerkar & Ashok J. Tamhankar & Smita U. Khedkar & Cecilia Stålsby Lundborg, 2014. "Quality of Water and Antibiotic Resistance of Escherichia coli from Water Sources of Hilly Tribal Villages with and without Integrated Watershed Management—A One Year Prospective Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-15, June.
    2. S V Subramanian & George Davey Smith & Malavika Subramanyam, 2006. "Indigenous Health and Socioeconomic Status in India," PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, vol. 3(10), pages 1-11, October.
    3. Rijsberman, Frank R., 2006. "Water scarcity: Fact or fiction?," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 80(1-3), pages 5-22, February.
    4. I. M. Adekunle & M. T. Adetunji & A. M. Gbadebo & O. B. Banjoko, 2007. "Assessment of Groundwater Quality in a Typical Rural Settlement in Southwest Nigeria," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 4(4), pages 1-12, December.
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    1. Adithya Pradyumna & Arima Mishra & Jürg Utzinger & Mirko S. Winkler, 2020. "Perceived Health Impacts of Watershed Development Projects in Southern India: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-17, May.
    2. Juliet Katusiime & Brigitta Schütt, 2023. "Towards Legislation Responsive to Integrated Watershed Management Approaches and Land Tenure," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-27, January.
    3. Sandeep S. Nerkar & Ashok J. Tamhankar & Eva Johansson & Cecilia Stålsby Lundborg, 2016. "Impact of Integrated Watershed Management on Complex Interlinked Factors Influencing Health: Perceptions of Professional Stakeholders in a Hilly Tribal Area of India," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-17, March.

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