Translating hygiene research into impactful public health policy remains a challenge. While research has produced a robust body of evidence linking improvements in hygiene to improvements in health...
Earth & Environment
UNC Water and Health Conference Collection
This collection reflects the ongoing partnership between the Water Institute at UNC and PLOS, bringing together a range of research articles and narrative pieces published in PLOS Water and PLOS Sustainability and Transformation from the annual UNC Water and Health Conferences. The collection provides a forum for research and discourse across the breadth of water, sanitation and hygiene (WaSH) research, to highlight challenges, share insights, and develop solutions for a more water-secure world. This inclusive collection includes both research presented at the conference in addition to other high-quality work which fits thematically within the scope of the conference.
Image Credit: Water droplet by Arek Socha, Pixabay
PLOS Water
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Image creditA person holding their hands under a stream of water by Nathan Dumlao, CC BYPLOS Water Bridging the Gap: Evidence-informed hygiene policy is needed and researcher, policy makers, and funders must work together to deliver it
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PLOS Water Active regulating of onsite sanitation can bridge the gap between policy and practice and transform the sector
Sanitation is core to the health and wellbeing of individuals, cities, societies and environmental ecosystems, and constitutes a public good. This means sanitation services must be organized into...
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PLOS Water Advancing the evidence for water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) systems strengthening: A Delphi study to define research priorities
Despite significant progress in the provision of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services, 2.3 billion people still lack access to…
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PLOS Water Beyond peak water security: Household-scale experiential metrics can offer new perspectives on contemporary water challenges in the United States
The U.S. has moved beyond peak water security. Infrastructural degradation, institutional inertia, and climate change are reducing the…
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PLOS Water Understanding end-user preferences for hand hygiene enabling technologies: A mixed-methods study in peri-urban Lusaka, Zambia
Handwashing facilities (HWFs) are associated with higher rates of handwashing with soap, and the presence of a HWF is the global proxy…
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PLOS Water Analyzing multiple-source water usage patterns and affordability in rural Central Appalachia
Nearly 500,000 American households lack complete plumbing, and more than 21 million Americans are reliant on public drinking water systems…
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Image creditA person holding their hands under a stream of water by Nathan Dumlao, CC BYPLOS Water Groundwater must be fully integrated into WASH programmes to make them climate resilient
Groundwater is a critical source of freshwater that provides nearly half of global drinking water. Its comparative resilience to weather and climatic extremes, particularly drought, makes it...
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PLOS Water The utility of experiential water insecurity measures for monitoring and evaluating WASH programs: Case studies from Nepal and Sierra Leone
Progress toward safe water for all is predominantly tracked using directly observable, resource-based indicators, including primary water…
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PLOS Water Influencing non-menstruator attitudes and behaviours towards menstrual health among rohingya refugees in Bangladesh: A realist evaluation
Poor menstrual health poses serious public health issues globally, yet half the population are often excluded from the solutions. Men, boys, and those that do not menstruate can have a substantial...
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PLOS Water Manganese and iron in drinking water in three West-African countries: Implications for health, acceptability, and disinfection
Manganese and iron decrease aesthetic acceptability and chlorine disinfection performance in drinking water, and can be toxic at high…
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PLOS Water Antibiotic-resistant bacteria detected in homes impacted by sewage
Antibiotic-resistant (AR) bacterial infections are disproportionately experienced by Black communities in the U.S. Exposure to AR bacteria…
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Image creditbw water drop by Liz West, OpenversePLOS Water To solve the water crisis, follow the money
Like it or not, money is at the root of all our work related to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). Yet many do not understand just how much money influences the policies, infrastructure and...
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PLOS Water Investigating the suitability of dichotomous responses for the Water Insecurity Experiences (WISE) Scales using nationally representative data from 39 countries
The Water Insecurity Experiences (WISE) Scales have been validated to comparably measure water insecurity globally. The scales consist of…
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PLOS Water Alternative indicators of handpump functionality: Toward consistent performance-oriented monitoring
Many people in rural Sub-Saharan Africa use a communal handpump as their primary drinking water source. Handpump performance is assessed…
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PLOS Water Sanitary inspection characteristics, precipitation, and microbial water quality – A three-country study of rural boreholes in Sub-Saharan Africa
Microbial contamination of drinking water contributes to disease burdens that disproportionately impact infants and children and are…
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PLOS Water Resource allocation for environmental health services in healthcare facilities: A qualitative case study from Niger
Water, sanitation, hygiene, waste management, and other environmental health services are critical for safe health systems, but global…
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Image creditLife saving - drinking water by Julien Harneis, CC BY 2.0PLOS Water Challenges and opportunities for advancing data-driven WASH programming: Reflections from the UNC Chapel Hill Water and Health Conference side event “DATA: A key for unlocking quality in WASH programming”
Achieving universal and equitable WASH services requires accurate, data-driven understanding of context, needs, and evidence. Investing in data systems enables stakeholders to assess needs...
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PLOS Water Septic systems in North Carolina: A neglected half of the state?
Millions of Americans, especially those in rural and marginalized communities, rely on septic tanks and other forms of onsite sanitation (OSS) systems to meet their sanitation needs. Roughly...
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Image creditA person holding their hands under a stream of water by Nathan Dumlao, CC BYPLOS Water Missing in action: The UN Water Action Agenda needs an overhauled commitment-setting process
Article Authors Metrics Comments Media Coverage Capturing successful learning from the local context Strengthening an open platform for sharing information and ideas Sharing case examples through...
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PLOS Water Evaluation of point-of-use treatments and biochar to reduce 1,2,3-trichloropropane (TCP) contamination in drinking water
In rural agricultural regions characterized by historical fumigant use and in industrial areas, groundwater contamination by…
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Image creditLife saving - drinking water by Julien Harneis, CC BY 2.0PLOS Water Deconstructing and remaking power dynamics in WASH
The calls for “decolonizing” research and practice on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) are relatively new, following scholarship in global health, humanitarian assistance...
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PLOS Water Water, food, and mental well-being: Associations between drinking water source, household water and food insecurity, and mental well-being of low-income pregnant women in urban Mozambique
Drinking water access and water and food insecurity have been linked to mental well-being, but few studies have comprehensively assessed…
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PLOS Water The case for shared sanitation access in informal settlements: A dialogue on science, policy, and practice integration
Achieving universal access to adequate and equitable sanitation is a major challenge in many parts of the world. In 2022, approximately 1.5 billion people lacked basic sanitation services, with 419...
PLOS Sustainability and Transformation
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PLOS Sustainability and Transformation The role of water insecurity in influencing water and sugar-sweetened beverage choices: A scoping review
Water is a critical nutrient for human health, however more than 4 billion people globally lack access to safe drinking water and climate…
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PLOS Sustainability and Transformation With a new United Nations resolution on water, sanitation, hygiene, electricity, and waste in healthcare facilities, it is time for a logical framing and consistent vocabulary
On December 18, 2023, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly adopted resolution A/78/130, “Sustainable, safe and universal water, sanitation, hygiene, waste, and electricity services in health...
