To sample or not to sample: A governance-focused decision tree for wastewater service providers considering participation in wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) in support of public health programs.
Sci Total Environ
; 905: 167128, 2023 Dec 20.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-37722431
ABSTRACT
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) provides value to public health monitoring and protection. Participation of public and private wastewater system operators in WBE efforts is critical to public health surveillance program success and sustainability. However, given the number of WBE solicitations wastewater service providers receive, the limitation of service provider resources, the concerns around privacy, ethics, and equity, and the fatigue associated with responding to COVID-19, operators are becoming more hesitant to participate in WBE efforts. While various ethical concerns and sustainability challenges associated with WBE have been documented, no efforts to date have investigated what factors should systematically influence the decision to provide samples to a WBE effort. Therefore, this study develops a decision-making tool for WBE teams to proactively monitor, manage, and avoid wastewater system operators' operational risks and potential liabilities. Ultimately, using this tool allows WBE program partners in academia, government, and industry to better understand wastewater system operators' needs and challenges surrounding data quality and use, public health ethics, and daily wastewater infrastructure operation.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Wastewater-Based Epidemiological Monitoring
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Health_economic_evaluation
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Screening_studies
Aspects:
Ethics
Limits:
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
Sci Total Environ
Year:
2023
Document type:
Article
Publication country:
HOLANDA
/
HOLLAND
/
NETHERLANDS
/
NL
/
PAISES BAJOS
/
THE NETHERLANDS