Assessment and characterization of fecal exposure pathways in urban low-income settings (SaniPath)

Purpose

To improve the understanding of risks from fecal contamination in urban and peri-urban settings in developing countries and ultimately develop effective strategies and inform investments and policies to reduce these risks.

Activities

Phase 1 on the study involved in-depth data collection on behavior and environmental contamination along multiple pathways of exposure in Accra, Ghana. Examples of pathways of exposure to fecal contamination include drinking water, recreational water, waste-water irrigated produce, surfaces in public latrines, drain water, etc. Based on lessons from Accra, we have been developing the SaniPath Rapid Assessment Tool to assess key pathways of exposure in urban, low-income settings. The tool guides users in collecting much needed data on exposure to fecal contamination in low income, urban neighborhoods, and synthesizes these data for community, government, and service providers’ decision-making. The pathways are characterized by taking into consideration the frequency of exposure to a particular pathway along with the dose (the amount of E.coli ingested per ingestion event). The tool, which consists of training material, protocols, as well as data entry/analysis software, is publicly available on our website or on a USB flash drive and is intended for non-governmental organizations, funders, and government institutions.

Countries of activity

Location of main activity

Objectives

The objectives of the SaniPath Study are to :
- Conduct an exposure assessment and quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) with Phase 1 behavioral and environmental data from Accra, Ghana to understand exposure to fecal contamination in low-income, urban neighborhoods.
- Use lessons learned from Phase 1 in developing the SaniPath Rapid Risk Assessment Tool, which utilizes a mixed methods approach to understanding exposure to fecal contamination (i.e. environmental sample collection, individual and group surveys, key informant interviews, GPS mapping, etc.)
- Synthesize these data for community, government, and service providers’ decision-making
- Create a tool whose results will be used to characterize a neighborhood or city according to a matrix of fecal exposure pathways. The outputs will serve as a simplified, but still informative, means of identifying priorities for sanitation investments or interventions.

Further information

Research or implementation partners:
o Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (Accra, Ghana)
o The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (London, UK)
o The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) (Accra, Ghana)
o Water Research Institute (WRI) (Accra, Ghana)
o TREND Group (Accra, Ghana)
o Research Triangle Institute (RTI) (Raleigh, NC, USA)
o Christian Medical College, Vellore (Vellore, India)
o Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, GA, USA)

Filter tags

Behaviour change Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation East Asia & Pacific Global Health and hygiene Peri-urban Political processes and institutional aspects Practitioners Specific to one or several countries Sub-Saharan Africa University, education or research institution Urban (entire city) Urban informal settlements (slums)

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