Contextualizing linkages between water security and global health in Africa, Asia and Europe:Geography matters in research, policy and practice

The linkages between water security and global health vary in space and time. Just like water connects every aspect of life, geography relates everything to everything else. Therefore, in order to address challenges at the interface of water security and global health, the use and application of medical geography, a sub-discipline of geography, is helpful in research, policy and practice. Using different water security pathway classifications (diminished water supply or quality, increased water demand, and extreme flood events) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and targets as a frame, this paper looks at water and health challenges from different angles and from a holistic perspective, while contextualizing them. Drawing on five practical examples, including water-related infectious disease exposure in watersheds in semi-arid Kenya, health system response in floodplains in Namibia, public health implications in a protracted emergency setting in arid Northeast Nigeria, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) monitoring in households, schools and healthcare facilities in Small Island Developing States in the South Pacific, and WASH-related challenges and disease exposures among marginalized ethnic minority populations in Europe, the applicability and usefulness of geography contextualizations in research, policy-makers and practitioners is presented. Moreover, cross-cutting topics and contextualizations, beyond water security and global health, including climate- and weather-related extreme events, inequality, health- and water-related education, risk perceptions and behaviour, and the cultural context, are highlighted to showcase the value of applying medical geography in understanding the key drivers, barriers and bottlenecks in complex situations; recommending actionable and contextualized measures to address these challenges; directing programming and interventions; and informing policy-making to tackle and solve these challenges

Hooliganism and interventions against football hooliganism : empirical analysis and socio-economic modelling

Fangewalt im Fußball ist ein in den Medien verbreitet kommuniziertes Problem. Die Vereine haben etwa ab 1980 auf dieses Problem mit der Gründung von Fanprojekten reagiert. In diesem Beitrag wird empirisch herausgearbeitet, dass Fangewalt im deutschen Profifußball in den vergangenen zehn Jahren keineswegs das in den Medien oftmals beschriebene Ausmaß erreicht hat. Dieser Befund deckt sich mit den Ergebnissen einer Befragung von Mitarbeitern von Fanprojekten. Es entsteht das Bild eines sozialen Problems, welches in der beschriebenen Form überhaupt nicht existiert, in dessen Bearbeitung in der Vergangenheit aber dennoch verstärkt Ressourcen geflossen sind. Ein sozioökonomisches Modell fängt die Interessenverschränkungen zwischen Medien, Vereinen, Fans und Fanprojekten in stilisierter Weise ein und vermag die empirischen Befunde zu erklären.Mass media often publish reports saying that violence of football supporters is a severe and wide-spread problem beleaguering German professional football. Since around 1980, German football clubs founded fan projects in an attempt to reduce violence among football supporters. The results reported in this research show that violence of football supporters, in contrast to frequent media reports, has not increased during the last ten years. This result is in line with results of a questionnaire study of representatives of fan projects. Notwithstanding, considerable resources have been spent in the past to solve this non-existent social problem. A stylized socioeconomic model is being developed in this research to explain the empirical findings

Preparing schools for future pandemics: Insights on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene solutions from the Brazilian School Reopening Policies.

Post-COVID-19, schools urgently need to enhance infection control and prevention (IPC) measures, including water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), to prepare for future outbreaks and pandemics. Particularly in Brazil, that is of particular concern, as students are still recovering from the 20th longest school closure in the world. Hence, the current study had two goals: (i) to describe WASH solutions outlined in policies released at the federal, state, and capital city levels in Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic for the safe reopening of schools and (ii) to discuss their potential to enhance school's capacity to remain operational during a new pandemic or outbreak. With a qualitative exploratory approach, we performed content analysis to discuss the direction (what, where, how and for whom?) of 66 public policies by integrating four frameworks. Solutions were discussed in the light of the principles of human rights and the human rights to water and sanitation, international guidelines for WASH and IPC in schools and the Sphere minimum standards for humanitarian aid. One hundred and fifty-nine solutions, spanning five thematic areas and five population groups, including software and hardware interventions, were compiled for potential use in Brazil and beyond. While suggested solutions have the potential to provide a cleaner and safer learning environment, it is essential to exercise caution when implementing these measures and adapt them to the specific circumstances of each school

The development of womens athletics : findings of an empirical analysis

The present survey measured a wide variety of indicators on different levels, which permit an evaluation of the development of the participation of women in athletics. All in all an upward trend can be noted. One exception is the decreasing proportion of women on the ITO panels. The proportion of female athletes has remained constant over the last few years, however already on a fairly high, if not yet equal, level to that of male athletes. In many fields, on the other hand, despite the outlined development equal representation of women in athletics is still a long way off

Eine Bestandsaufnahme für die Gegenwart: Zum Verhältnis von Sport und Politik in der Region Rheinland-Pfalz

Im Licht der Principal Agent-Theorie werden wechselnde strukturelle Ungleichgewichte zwischen Sportbünden und Landessportbund in Rheinland-Pfalz über die Zeit untersucht. Bis etwa 1966 ist der Landessportbund eine Art politisches Büro, das als verlängerter Arm abwechselnd und mit einem hohen Maß von Transparenz von jeweils einem der drei Sportbünde geführt wird und deren Interessen gegenüber der Landesregierung wirkungsvoll vertritt. Vom Diener dreier Herren entwickelt sich der Landessportbund seit 1966 als nunmehr eigene Rechtsperson zum gleichwertigen Partner der Sportbünde mit starken Eigeninteressen unter beständiger Erweiterung seiner Aufgaben. Daraus entwickelt sich zusehends ein Machtkampf zwischen Sportbünden und Landessportbund, der anfangs durch steigende Landesmittel ent- und nachfolgend durch zurückgehende Landesmittel und landespolitisch verstärkte Führungsansprüche des Landessportbundes verstärkt wird. Die Landespolitik nutzt das infolge der Statusrivalität entstehende Machtvakuum im Sinne einer wirksamen Außenvertretung des Sports als Unternehmer im Stimmenmarkt, um mittels Förderung des populären kommerziellen Sports ihre Wiederwahlchancen und generell den Einfluss der Landespolitik im organisierten Sport zu erhöhen

Health Risk Perceptions Are Associated with Domestic Use of Basic Water and Sanitation Services—Evidence from Rural Ethiopia

We examine factors associated with the use of basic water supply and sanitation services as part of an integrated community-based nutrition programme which included a drinking water, sanitation and hygiene (WaSH) intervention and emphasise findings related to health risk perceptions. Data were collected from 2658 households in four regions in Ethiopia with a cross-sectional survey in WaSH intervention areas, as well as in control areas, where the intervention was not implemented. The data were analysed using bivariate and multivariable regression analysis. Awareness of health risk factors related to inadequate WaSH was high in the programme area. The use of basic water and sanitation services was associated with several health risk perceptions: Perceiving water quality as good increased the odds of using basic water services as opposed to believing the water quality was poor (OR 3.94; CI 3.06–5.08; p ≤ 0.001). Believing that drinking unsafe water was the main cause for diarrhoea increased the odds of using basic water services (OR 1.48; CI 1.20–1.81; p ≤ 0.001). In the WaSH intervention group, the use of basic sanitation was more likely than in the control group. The use of basic sanitation was associated with households who had previously received sanitation training, as opposed to such who had not (OR 1.55; CI 1.22–1.97; p ≤ 0.001). Perceiving dirty space as the main cause of diarrhoea (OR 1.81; CI 1.50–2.19; p ≤ 0.001), and privacy when using a latrine (OR 2.00; CI 1.67–2.40; p ≤ 0.001), were associated with higher odds of using basic sanitation. Households that indicated a disadvantage of owning a latrine was maintenance costs were less likely to use basic sanitation (OR 0.49; CI 0.38–0.63; p ≤ 0.001). Risk perceptions were important determinants of use of basic services. The findings point to risk perceptions motivating the application of positive WaSH-related and health-protective behaviours. This suggests that well-designed health risk communication strategies may be effective for engaging households in healthy WaSH behaviour

Coping with ill-health: health care facility, chemist or medicinal plants? Health-seeking behaviour in a Kenyan wetland

Background: Sub-Saharan African wetlands, settlement areas to growing populations, expose their users to diseases as necessary health infrastructure remains underdeveloped. Methods: Mixed methods were adopted to assess the health-seeking behaviour of different exposure groups (farmers, pastoralists, service sector workers) in a Kenyan wetland community. Based on a cross-sectional survey (n = 400), syndromic surveillance was linked to health-seeking event analysis. In-depth interviews with community members (n = 20) and experts (n = 8) enabled the integration of healthcare user and provider perspectives. Results: Health-seeking behaviour in the wetland was determined by physical/infrastructural, natural/environmental, financial/socioeconomic and social/demographic factors, as well as human/cultural aspects such as traditional preferences rooted in health beliefs. Community members had different strategies of coping with ill-health and few symptoms remained untreated. Whether via a health care facility admission, the visit of a chemist, or the intake of pharmaceuticals or medicinal plants: treatment was usually applied either via a healthcare service provider or by the community members themselves. An undersupply of easy-to-reach healthcare options was detected, and healthcare services were not available and accessible to all. The widely-practiced self-treatment of symptoms, e.g. by use of local medicinal plants, mirrors both potential healthcare gaps and cultural preferences of wetland communities. Conclusions: Integrated into an overall health-promoting wetland management approach, widely accepted (cultural) realities of health-seeking behaviours could complement health sector service provision and help ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all in wetlands