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Where Children Play: Young Child Exposure to Environmental Hazards during Play in Public Areas in a Transitioning Internally Displaced Persons Community in Haiti

Author

Listed:
  • Danielle N. Medgyesi

    (Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA)

  • John M. Brogan

    (Terre des Hommes, 1006 Lausanne, Switzerland)

  • Daniel K. Sewell

    (Department of Biostatistics, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA)

  • Jean Philippe Creve-Coeur

    (Terre des Hommes, Port-au-Prince 6111, Haiti)

  • Laura H. Kwong

    (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA)

  • Kelly K. Baker

    (Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA)

Abstract

Globally, gastrointestinal (GI) infections by enteric pathogens are the second-leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children under five years of age (≤5 years). While GI pathogen exposure in households has been rigorously examined, there is little data about young children’s exposure in public domains. Moreover, public areas in low-income settings are often used for other waste disposal practices in addition to human feces, such as trash dumping in areas near households. If young children play in public domains, they might be exposed to interrelated and highly concentrated microbial, chemical, and physical hazards. This study performed structured observations at 36 public areas in an internally displaced persons community that has transitioned into a formal settlement in Haiti. We documented how often young children played in public areas and quantified behaviors that might lead to illness and injury. Children ≤5 years played at all public sites, which included infants who played at 47% of sites. Children touched and mouthed plastic, metal and glass trash, food and other objects from the ground, ate soil (geophagia) and drank surface water. They also touched latrines, animals, animal feces and open drainage canals. Hand-to-mouth contact was one of the most common behaviors observed and the rate of contact significantly differed among developmental stages (infants: 18/h, toddlers: 11/h and young children: 9/h), providing evidence that children could ingest trace amounts of animal/human feces on hands that may contain GI pathogens. These findings demonstrate that water, sanitation and hygiene interventions could be more effective if they consider exposure risks to feces in public domains. Furthermore, this research highlights the need for waste-related interventions to address the broader set of civil conditions that create unsafe, toxic and contaminated public environments where young children play.

Suggested Citation

  • Danielle N. Medgyesi & John M. Brogan & Daniel K. Sewell & Jean Philippe Creve-Coeur & Laura H. Kwong & Kelly K. Baker, 2018. "Where Children Play: Young Child Exposure to Environmental Hazards during Play in Public Areas in a Transitioning Internally Displaced Persons Community in Haiti," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-21, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:15:y:2018:i:8:p:1646-:d:161770
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Dorothy Peprah & Kelly K. Baker & Christine Moe & Katharine Robb & Nii Wellington & Habib Yakubu & Clair Null, 2015. "Public Toilets and Their Customers in Low-Income Accra, Ghana," Mathematica Policy Research Reports e65b91a1e6ff4e17b6b8ae03c, Mathematica Policy Research.
    2. Cosme Alvarado-Esquivel, 2013. "Toxocariasis in Waste Pickers: A Case Control Seroprevalence Study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(1), pages 1-6, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Lorren Kirsty Haywood & Thandi Kapwata & Suzan Oelofse & Gregory Breetzke & Caradee Yael Wright, 2021. "Waste Disposal Practices in Low-Income Settlements of South Africa," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-12, August.
    2. Nobomi Ngalo & Gladman Thondhlana, 2023. "Illegal Solid-Waste Dumping in a Low-Income Neighbourhood in South Africa: Prevalence and Perceptions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(18), pages 1-15, September.
    3. Fanta D. Gutema & Bonphace Okoth & John Agira & Christine S. Amondi & Phylis J. Busienei & Sheillah Simiyu & Blessing Mberu & Daniel Sewell & Kelly K. Baker, 2024. "Spatial–Temporal Patterns in the Enteric Pathogen Contamination of Soil in the Public Environments of Low- and Middle-Income Neighborhoods in Nairobi, Kenya," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(10), pages 1-19, October.
    4. Katrin Glatz Brubakk & Elin Lovise Folven Gjengedal & Øyvind Enger & Kam Sripada, 2022. "Ammunition Waste Pollution and Preliminary Assessment of Risks to Child Health from Toxic Metals at the Greek Refugee Camp Mavrovouni," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-12, August.

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