Activities per year
Abstract
The linkages between water security and global health vary in space and time. Just like water connects every aspect of life, geography relates everything to everything else. Therefore, in order to address challenges at the interface of water security and global health, the use and application of medical geography, a sub-discipline of geography, is helpful in research, policy and practice.
Using different water security pathway classifications (diminished water supply or quality, increased water demand, and extreme flood events) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and targets as a frame, this paper looks at water and health challenges from different angles and from a holistic perspective, while contextualizing them. Drawing on five practical examples, including water-related infectious disease exposure in watersheds in semi-arid Kenya, health system response in floodplains in Namibia, public health implications in a protracted emergency setting in arid Northeast Nigeria, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) monitoring in households, schools and healthcare facilities in Small Island Developing States in the South Pacific, and WASH-related challenges and disease exposures among marginalized ethnic minority populations in Europe, the applicability and usefulness of geography contextualizations in research, policy-makers and practitioners is presented. Moreover, cross-cutting topics and contextualizations, beyond water security and global health, including climate- and weather-related extreme events, inequality, health- and water-related education, risk perceptions and behaviour, and the cultural context, are highlighted to showcase the value of applying medical geography in understanding the key drivers, barriers and bottlenecks in complex situations; recommending actionable and contextualized measures to address these challenges; directing programming and interventions; and informing policy-making to tackle and solve these challenges.
Using different water security pathway classifications (diminished water supply or quality, increased water demand, and extreme flood events) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and targets as a frame, this paper looks at water and health challenges from different angles and from a holistic perspective, while contextualizing them. Drawing on five practical examples, including water-related infectious disease exposure in watersheds in semi-arid Kenya, health system response in floodplains in Namibia, public health implications in a protracted emergency setting in arid Northeast Nigeria, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) monitoring in households, schools and healthcare facilities in Small Island Developing States in the South Pacific, and WASH-related challenges and disease exposures among marginalized ethnic minority populations in Europe, the applicability and usefulness of geography contextualizations in research, policy-makers and practitioners is presented. Moreover, cross-cutting topics and contextualizations, beyond water security and global health, including climate- and weather-related extreme events, inequality, health- and water-related education, risk perceptions and behaviour, and the cultural context, are highlighted to showcase the value of applying medical geography in understanding the key drivers, barriers and bottlenecks in complex situations; recommending actionable and contextualized measures to address these challenges; directing programming and interventions; and informing policy-making to tackle and solve these challenges.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 100093 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | Water Security |
Volume | 13 |
Early online date | 28 Jul 2021 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Aug 2021 |
Keywords
- Cultural context
- Health inequality
- Health risk perception
- Interdisciplinary research
- SDG 6
- Science-policy interface
- Vulnerable groups
- WASH
- Water
- Health
- UT-Hybrid-D
- ITC-HYBRID
Fingerprint
Dive into the research topics of 'Contextualizing linkages between water security and global health in Africa, Asia and Europe: Geography matters in research, policy and practice'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Activities
- 1 Oral presentation
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Research domain on water security, WASH and global health at the Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC), University of Twente
Anthonj, C. (Speaker)
21 Jun 2022Activity: Talk or presentation › Oral presentation
Press/Media
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Research story: Water security, global health and policymaking
7/12/20
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Research
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The time and space of water and health: an interview with Carmen Anthonj, PhD
28/10/20
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Other
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Do health risk perceptions motivate water - and health-related behaviour? A systematic literature review
Anthonj, C., Setty, K., Ferrero, G., A. Yaya, A.-M., Mingoti Poague, K. I. H., Marsh, A. J. & Augustijn, P. W. M., 1 May 2022, In: Science of the total environment. 819, p. 1-25 25 p., 152902.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review
Open AccessFile13 Citations (Scopus)596 Downloads (Pure) -
Water Security and Global Health in Subsaharan Africa, Latin America, Pacific Islands and Europe
Anthonj, C., Sept 2022, Geographien der Gesundheit: Beiträge zum 50-jährigen Bestehen des Arbeitskreises Medizinische Geographie und Geographische Gesundheitsforschung in der DGfG. Kistemann, T. & Schweikart, J. (eds.). Düren: Shaker Publishing, Vol. 6. p. 25-38 (Geographische Gesundheitsforschung - Geographical Health Research; vol. 6).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › Academic › peer-review
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Kenyan school book knowledge for water, sanitation, hygiene and health education interventions: Disconnect, integration or opportunities?
Anthonj, C., Sophie, G., Höser, C., Stein, A., Blanford, J. I. & Grossi, V., Jun 2021, In: International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health. 235, p. 1-14 14 p., 113756.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review
Open AccessFile14 Citations (Scopus)526 Downloads (Pure)