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EXPOSURE TO SAND DURING BEACH RECREATION AND RISK OF ILLNESS: RESULTS FROM THE NATIONAL EPIDEMIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF RECREATIONAL (NEEAR) WATER STUDY
Citation:
HEANEY, C. D., T. J. WADE, R. L. CALDERON, E. A. SAMS, M. BEACH, K. P. BRENNER, AND A. P. DUFOUR. EXPOSURE TO SAND DURING BEACH RECREATION AND RISK OF ILLNESS: RESULTS FROM THE NATIONAL EPIDEMIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF RECREATIONAL (NEEAR) WATER STUDY. Presented at National Beaches Conference, Niagara Falls, NY, October 11 - 13, 2006.
Description:
Recent studies found high levels of E. coli in sand, causing concern and media reports about risks of illness from sand during beach recreation. We summarize associations between sand exposure and illness [gastrointestinal (GI), respiratory, eye and ear infection, and rash] from a prospective cohort study. Self-reported beach activities and illness incidence was collected from 21,015 subjects during 2 summer swim seasons at 4 Great Lakes beaches. Upon leaving the beach, participants were asked if they had been ¿digging in the sand or building sand castles?¿ and ¿had their body buried in the sand?¿. We compared the incidence of illness among those exposed and unexposed to sand. Of all participants, 43% (8975) reported digging and 10.6% (2172) being buried in sand. Age strongly confounded the sand-illness relationship. Among children (0-10 yrs,) 83% and 27% reported digging in sand and being buried in sand, respectively; compared to 27% and 3% of adults (35 yrs. and above). After adjusting for age, swimming status, sex, and beach, there was little relationship between sand exposure and the illnesses studied. However, among those buried in the sand, there was an elevated association with GI illness (OR=1.20; 95%CI 1.01-1.41). For each illness studied, the relationship between swimming and illness was stronger than the relationship between sand exposure and illness. To the best of our knowledge this is the first study of the relationship between sand exposure and illness.