Effects on Health of Salinity due to Environmental Exposure: Experiences from Bangladesh

Details

Supervisors

Dr. Joris van Loenhout ; Pascaline Wallemacq ; Prof. Debarati Guha- Sapir

Faculty

Faculté de santé publique

Degree label

Master [120] en sciences de la santé publique

Abstract

Background and Settings: Salinity intrusion in the coastal belt of Bangladesh is a potential health risk for exposed populations, and factors such as cyclone, tidal surge, flood, river flow, and estuarine circulation etc. and climate change can exacerbate this. Salinity mainly affects land and water (surface water and groundwater) in the coastal areas. The aim of the study was to explore the impact of salinity on health in Bangladesh by searching the literature systematically. Materials and Methods: Narrative literature review were completed from 27 articles by searching the databases PubMed, ScienceDirect, and gray literature like GoB, ICDDR’B, and NGO/INGO during 2000 AD to till now regarding salinity on health or diseases of Bangladesh. Results: Among them 19 studies (10 studies pregnant women) are associated with salinity and hypertension or high blood pressure related diseases which leads to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. This increasing blood pressure leads to other chronic diseases like cardiovascular diseases, stroke or heart attack, pre-eclampsia and eclampsia (SBP > 140 mmHg or DBP > 90 mmHg after the 20th week of pregnancy) of pregnant women, impaired liver function or kidney disease, low platelet count, intrauterine growth retardation, preterm birth, and maternal and perinatal deaths due to drinking water salinity. 5 studies are found with cholera diseases in Bangladesh due to salinity intrusion, and 3 studies are associated with kidney diseases of Bangladeshi or British Bangladeshi patients for higher salt intake and drinking excess brackish water. Higher level of salinity (sodium) were prevalent in young adult, pregnant women, tube wells (ground), during the dry season than adult or aged, male, pond (surface) and rain water, and the rainy season in this study. Cholera outbreaks the spring (from March through May) predominantly in the dry season in such coastal areas. Conclusion: Salinity has directly or indirectly affected adversely on human health. Hypertension, cholera, kidney disease and stroke is higher in salinity prone areas than non-salinity prone areas of Bangladesh and higher preva¬lence of hypertension or raised blood pressure in pregnant women during the dry season than in the rainy season.