title: Drinking water systems, hydrology, and childhood gastrointestinal illness in Central and Northern Wisconsin.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study investigated if the type of drinking water source (treated municipal, untreated municipal, and private well water) modifies the effect of hydrology on childhood (aged < 5 years) gastrointestinal illness.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a time series study to assess the relationship between hydrologic and weather conditions with childhood gastrointestinal illness from 1991 to 2010. The Central and Northern Wisconsin study area includes households using all 3 types of drinking water systems. Separate time series models were created for each system and half-year period (winter/spring, summer/fall).
  
  
  RESULTS
  More precipitation (summer/fall) systematically increased childhood gastrointestinal illness in municipalities accessing untreated water. The relative risk of contracting gastrointestinal illness was 1.4 in weeks with 3 centimeters of precipitation and 2.4 in very wet weeks with 12 centimeters of precipitation. By contrast, gastrointestinal illness in private well and treated municipal areas was not influenced by hydrologic conditions, although warmer winter temperatures slightly increased incidence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study suggests that improved drinking water protection, treatment, and delivery infrastructure may improve public health by specifically identifying municipal water systems lacking water treatment that may transmit waterborne disease.
authors: Christopher K. Uejio is with the Department of Geography and Program in Public Health, Florida State University, Tallahassee. Steven H. Yale is with the Clinical Research Center, Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation, Marshfield, WI. Kristen Malecki is with the Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Mark A. Borchardt is with the US Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, Marshfield. Henry A. Anderson is with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Madison. Jonathan A. Patz is with the Nelson Institute Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
authors: Christopher K
authors: CK
authors: Uejio
authors: Steven H
authors: SH
authors: Yale
authors: Kristen
authors: K
authors: Malecki
authors: Mark A
authors: MA
authors: Borchardt
authors: Henry A
authors: HA
authors: Anderson
authors: Jonathan A
authors: JA
authors: Patz
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D060766:Drinking Water; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D062070:Hydrology; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014881:Water Supply; D014887:Weather; D014922:Wisconsin / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D060766:Drinking Water