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PRELIMINARY HEALTH BURDEN ANALYSIS FOR EPIDEMIOLOGIC RECREATIONAL WATER STUDY
Citation:
Sams, E A., T J. Wade, C. Hoffman, K P. Brenner, M. Beach, A. H. Williams, AND A P. Dufour. PRELIMINARY HEALTH BURDEN ANALYSIS FOR EPIDEMIOLOGIC RECREATIONAL WATER STUDY. Presented at Great Lakes Beaches Association Meeting, Parma, OH, November 30 - December 01, 2004.
Description:
Introduction: The National Epidemiological and Environmental Assessment of Recreational Water Study (NEEAR) offers a rare opportunity for researchers. The study's design involves the collection of health data before and after visiting the beach in conjunction with water quality data at the same beach. An additional component of health burden outcomes as a result of illness provides us with information about the social burden on individuals and the community in which they reside.
Methods: Participants were recruited in the beach area to enroll in the NEEAR Water Study. The enrollment portion of the survey tool asks for general information such as demographics, current illness, and other risk factors. A second portion of the survey was conducted as the household left the beach area for the day. Questions asked in this part included activities in the beach area and exposure factors. The follow-up phone questionnaire (10-12 days later), questioned the household participant about specific health conditions encountered by the family after their visit to the beach. Symptoms of illness, diagnosis, impact of symptoms or illness on activities of daily living, and financial impact of treatment. Results: Health burden analysis of beach goer health will be presented. Results for these basic study questions will include:
1. Can health burden impact be mathematically correlated with illness in a given beach goer population? 2. Are activities of daily living significantly reduced?3. How does illness from beach exposure impact work productivity? Discussion: The recreational water health burden analysis and symptom-related expenses can enhance our knowledge of the true cost of recreational water pollution and play a role in setting public health policy. Because current tests for recreational water quality require at least 24 hours, real-time tests could reduce any health burden associated illness resulting from recreational water exposure. This is an abstract of a proposed poster presentation and does not necessarily reflect the views or policy of the US EPA.