Health risk awareness among farmers engaged in wastewater-fed aquaculture - An anthropological study...
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![Page 1: Health risk awareness among farmers engaged in wastewater-fed aquaculture - An anthropological study in Thanh Tri district, Hanoi Knudsen, L.G 1., Hiep,](https://reader034.fdocuments.in/reader034/viewer/2022042821/56649c5a5503460f94903528/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Health risk awareness among farmers engaged in wastewater-fed aquaculture
- An anthropological study in Thanh Tri district, Hanoi
Knudsen, L.G1., Hiep, N.T.2., Vuong, T.A3., Dalsgaard, A4., Samuelsen, H1 and Konradsen, F1. 1Department of International Health, University of Copenhagen; Research Center for Gender, Family and Environment in Development 2; Division of Enteric Diseases, NIHE3; Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, KVL4.
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Introduction
• Anthropological study of farmers awareness of health risks associated with wastewater (ww)-fed agri-aquaculture culture to obtain in-dept knowledge on farmers risk perceptions
• Fieldwork in Bang B village in Hoang Liet commune, Thanh Tri district, Hanoi (PAPUSSA site).
• Period: Nov-Dec 2005
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Approach and methods
• Qualitative approach• 1 Vietnamese and 1
Danish anthropologist• Key informant interviews
with local authorities and health staff
Focus group discussions, semi-structured interviews and informal interviews with aquatic plant and fish producersObservations of working practicesParticipant observationBias – most contacts identified by/from Women’s Union
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9 local terms for water
• Official term is Waste water/‘Nuoc thai’
• Local term is Smelly water/ ‘Nuoc thoi’
• Smelly water is harmful and nutritious
• Detergent/chemical waste water/’Nuoc sut’ is the most harmful type of water
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Chemical ww is harmful – organic ww is nutritious
• Sharp differentiation between chemical/harmful ww and organic/nutritious ww
• Smelly water -> into the fields -> harmful chemical substances sediment in the fields ->nutritious water
• Local authorities inform about how to use pesticides and clean domestic water for irrigation
• No information/guidance provided on how to work with ww
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The importance of production
• Quality of water:- no influence on use of measures to protect health- influences decisions on usage of water for plants/fish!
Importance of water and plants: “People can survive three days without food,
but vegetables can not survive without water for three days”No protective health measures to be taken if they slow down work and production
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Health protective measures – ”Not real hand”
• Gloves and boots are “difficult to wear” (“vuong”)
• Gloves are “not real hand” (“không thât tay”)
• Planting Water Morning Glory, harvesting Water Dropwort is easier with gloves
Depends on the work - Harvesting Water Morning Glory is difficult with gloves - need fingertips- Planting Water Dropwort is difficult with gloves -
need precision- Water Mimosa and fish harvest is difficult with
boots - water level too high
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Women’s health protective measures
• Women’s occupations - aquatic plant production and cleaning plants at the ponds
• Long thick, pink rubber gloves: - To keep warm, protect against water. Very difficult to work with.
• Long white cotton gloves with holes for fingertips:- Against sun; protect against dark fluid from Water Morning Glory, dirty water. Easier to work with
• Short thin latex gloves: Against water. Easy to work with – but break easily
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Women’s health protective measures
• Thin rubber boots above the knees - common
• Thick rubber boots, below the knee - often used when cleaning aquatic plants
• Boots - keep warm, protect against sharp things, keep clothes clean, and prevent skin/nail problems
• Mask/scarf – to protect skin against the sun
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Men’s protective measures
• Men’s occupations - fish production and heavy work tasks in aquatic plant production
• Aquatic plant production:
- Sometimes boots, difficult to walk with boots; Gloves, less often… Fish harvest:In summer, underwear and plastic sandals to protect against sharp things.
- In winter, more clothes to keep warm - Water level too high, cannot protect against water
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Women have ’soft hand’ – men have ’hard hand’
• “More difficult for men to wear gloves and boots…”
• “Men have to work faster, walk a lot and have ‘a hard hand’”
• “Men have stronger health than women”
• “Women work slowly, carefully and have ‘soft/smooth hands’” “Women work in the same place”
• “Women are more vulnerable to cold water and cold air”
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Health problems – not serious!
• Health problems from wastewater – cold/flu, itching skin, eroding nails/fungi infections, sore eyes, women’s diseases
• Nail and skin problems considered temporary problems - disappear after 3-4 days if treated
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Personal hygiene –self-treatment of skin problems
• Vietnamese produced cheap medical topicants (lotions, etc) containing antimicrobials bought from the local pharmacist – only contacts to health station when problems are serious!
• Topicant should be used 2-3 times daily – people apply only in evenings because they work in the day time
• People wash themselves with salt and soap when they return from work
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Dirt – the importance of appearance
• Aquatic plant producers clean hands and feet in wastewater! Why?
• 2 levels of cleanliness – clean appearance and real cleanliness (in a microbiological/food safety term)
• Appearance is very important.• Wash plants in wastewater before selling -> look ’fresh’
(‘non’)• ’Fresh’ not the same as clean but means a lot for the price
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Summary• Not enough information on
health risks associated with ww-fed agri-aquaculture
• Skin and nail problems are not considered the most serious health problems
• No ideal protective measures have so far been identified
• Productivity > health concerns in every day work tasks• Local understandings of gender -> men use protective
measures less often than women• The importance of appearance -> to increased health risks
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Acknowledgements
• This study was mainly supported by the Danish International Development Assistance (Danida) through a grant to IWMI (International Water Management Institute), but also from the ENRECA project “Sanitary Aspects of Drinking Water and Wastewater Reuse”.
• Staff at NIHE is thanked for their help with project logistics
• The local authorities, Women´s Union, individual farmers and other contacts in Hoang Liet commune is deeply thanked for their hospitality and positive attitude during study implementation