Household-based ceramic water filters for the prevention of diarrhea: a randomized, controlled trial of a pilot program in Colombia

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Thomas Clasen, Emory University; Gloria Garcia Parra, Oxfam GB; Sophie Boisson, International Health Research Associates, Ltd.; Simon Collin, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
• Language: English
• Date: 2005-10
• Publisher: American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2005 The American Society of Tropical Medicine
• Final Published Version (URL): http://www.ajtmh.org/content/73/4/790.long
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
• ISSN: 0002-9637
• Volume: 73
• Issue: 4
• Start Page: 790
• End Page: 795
• Grant/Funding Information: Thomas Clasen and Simon Collin are on the staff of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, which receives funding for water research from Unilever, Ltd. Gloria Garcia Parra is on the staff of Oxfam (United Kingdom).
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Public Health

Abstract

Household water treatment is increasingly recognized as an effective means of reducing the burden of diarrheal disease among low-income populations without access to safe water. Oxfam GB undertook a pilot project to explore the use of household-based ceramic water filters in three remote communities in Colombia. In a randomized, controlled trial over a period of six months, the filters were associated with a 75.3% reduction in arithmetic mean thermotolerant coliforms (TTCs) (P < 0.0001). A total of 47.7% and 24.2% of the samples from the intervention group had no detectible TTCs/100 mL or conformed to World Health Organization limits for low risk (1–10 TTCs/100 mL), respectively, compared with 0.9% and 7.3% for control group samples. Overall, prevalence of diarrhea was 60% less among households using filters than among control households (odds ratio = 0.40, 95% confidence interval = 0.25, 0.63, P < 0.0001). However, the microbiologic performance and protective effect of the filters was not uniform throughout the study communities, suggesting the need to consider the circumstances of the particular setting before implementing this intervention.