Clinical Trial: Solar Disinfection (SODIS) of Drinking Water for Use in Developing Countries or in Emergency Situations

Study Status: Completed
Recruit Status: Completed
Study Type: Interventional

Official Title: Assessment of the Health Benefits Associated With Consumption of Solar Disinfection of Drinking Water by Children Under Age 5 Years, With Particular Emphasis on Dysentery

Brief Summary:

SODISWATER was a health impact assessment study investigating the effect of sunlight to inactivate microbial pathogens in drinking water. This study was carried out by observing whether children younger than 5 years old who drink solar disinfected water were healthier than those who did not. Health was measured by how often the children had diarrhoea or dysentery.

Caregivers for the participants were given plastic bottles to place in the sun, water samples were then collected from these plastic bottles to be analyzed. They were also requested to fill in diarrhea diaries.

TESTABLE RESEARCH HYPOTHESES:

Health Impact Assessment: Children who use solar disinfected water will have:

(a) lower morbidity due to non-bloody diarrhoea and bloody diarrhoea (c) increased growth rates (d) lower mortality (e) increased family productivity (f) decreased care-giver burden (g) increased school attendance


Detailed Summary:

The current evidence base for solar disinfection in the prevention of diarrhoeal disease in children rests on three published studies. All share two significant weaknesses: all were carried out in Kenya, in communities which have very high incidences of diarrhoeal disease and water characterised by high levels of both turbidity and microbial contamination. Furthermore, neither of the studies of diarrhoeal disease distinguished between dysentery (associated with significant risk of mortality) and other sorts of diarrhoea, which carry a far lower risk. The present study will extend the evidence base into communities at lower risk and with higher water quality. Furthermore, by using pictorial diaries, dysentery can be analysed as a specific health endpoint. Diarrhoea will be recorded consistent with the World Health organisation definition: three or more loose or watery stools in a 24-hour period and/or stools containing blood or mucus.

AIM OF THE PROJECT IN RELATION TO HEALTH IMPACT ASSESSMENT STUDIES:

The primary aim of the SODISWATER PROJECT is to demonstrate that SODIS is an appropriate intervention against diarrhoeal and waterborne disease among communities in developing countries and those affected by natural or man-made disasters by conducting multi-centred epidemiologically controlled Health Impact Assessments of the SODIS technique across the African Continent under a variety of social, geographical and climactic conditions.

SCIENTIFIC OBJECTIVES OF SODISWATER IN RELATION TO HEALTH IMPACT ASSESSMENT STUDIES:

  1. Assessment of the change in health reasonably attributed to the provision of solar disinfected drinking water at the point of use in 3 countries (Kenya, Zimbabwe and Cambodia).

    2. Sponsor: Royal College of Surgeons, Ireland

    Current Primary Outcome:

    • Dysentery disease rate [ Time Frame: 12 month ]
      Incidence of occurrence of blood or mucous in diarrhoeal stools was noted by caregivers and recorded in a pictorial diary which was collected every 2 weeks.
    • Diarrhoea disease rate [ Time Frame: 12 months ]
      Incidence of diarrhoea and numbers of diarrhoeal episodes was noted by caregivers and recorded in a pictorial diary which was collected every 2 weeks.


    Original Primary Outcome: Same as current

    Current Secondary Outcome: Height and weight benefit [ Time Frame: 12 months ]

    Anthropometric measurements of height and weight were recorded at 3 month intervals across the 12 month study period.


    Original Secondary Outcome: Same as current

    Information By: Royal College of Surgeons, Ireland

    Dates:
    Date Received: February 28, 2011
    Date Started: June 2008
    Date Completion:
    Last Updated: November 9, 2011
    Last Verified: February 2011