Influence of Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) on Concentration and Distribution of Escherichia coli in Water Surrounding an Informal Floating Community in Iquitos, Peru.

Floating communities exist throughout the world. Many live on water with a high pathogen load due to difficulties associated with sewage management. In Claverito, an informal floating community in Iquitos, Peru, we conducted a controlled experiment to test the ability of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) to remove Escherichia coli from water. When river E. coli concentrations were at or below ∼1,500 CFU 100 mL-1, water hyacinth reduced shallow concentrations (8 cm depth) down to levels deemed safe by U.S. EPA for recreational use. Above this threshold, plants were able to reduce E. coli levels within shallow water, but not down to "safe" levels. At deeper depths (>25 cm), there was evidence that plants increased E. coli concentrations. Water hyacinth removed E. coli from shallow water by providing a surface (i.e., submerged roots) onto which E. coli sorbed and by protecting organisms that can potentially consume E. coli. Unfortunately, because of root association, the total E. coli load within the water column was greater with water hyacinth present. The use of water hyacinth to keep surface water around floating communities low in E. coli could be beneficial as this is the water layer with which people most likely interact. Aquatic vegetation naturally proliferates in and around Claverito. While this study was based on curating aquatic plants in order to achieve a water-quality outcome, it nonetheless supports concrete actions for Claverito residents under non-curated conditions, which are outlined at the end of the manuscript.

Advancing equity and justice through community science programming in design, construction, and research of a nature-based solution: the Duwamish Floating Wetlands Project.

Dxwdəw refers to the Black-Green Rivers confluences that made the Duwamish River in Seattle, Washington, USA, prior to the 1910s. Significant industrial activity and human-made diversions to these rivers caused heavy pollution and eliminated 97% of historic wetlands, forever altering the historic river systems, salmon runs and human and aquatic health. Today the Green-Duwamish River and Duwamish Estuary are an industrial and commercial corridor, albeit also a site of cultural significance and fishing rights for urban Indigenous and Coast Salish tribes, and home and workplace to diverse urban populations of sustenance fishers, immigrants and refugees, communities of color, and low-income neighborhoods. Using a socio-ecological and environmental justice perspective within a nature-based solution, the Duwamish Floating Wetlands Project designed and piloted four constructed floating wetland structures for two years on the Duwamish River and researched their feasibility to provide habitat for out-migrating juvenile salmon. A multi-pronged community team (community leaders, liaisons, stewards and scientists) worked alongside academics and professionals. This paper showcases the formulation and adaptation of a two-year citizen/community science program integrated into the project. We outline the frameworks, approach, outcomes, and lessons-learned of the community science and outreach program, and compiled these in a list of guidelines to provide practitioner, researcher and community insight into the value and necessity of prioritizing environmental justice, racial equity, and ecosystem needs in nature-based solutions.

Dental caries and anthropometrics of children living in an informal floating Amazonian community: a cross-sectional pilot study.

AIMS: Increasing evidence supports a relationship between poor oral health and growth in children. Our objective was to assess the association between the presence of dental caries and anthropometric measurements of children residing in Claverito, a floating slum community in the Peruvian Amazon. METHODS: For this cross-sectional study, presence of caries was assessed using dmft/DMFT (decayed, missing, filled teeth) scores and the SiC Index (mean dmft/DMFT of one-third of the study group with the highest caries score). Anthropometric categories for age-sex-specific z-scores for height and weight were calculated based on WHO standardized procedures and definitions. The association between SiC (measured by dmft/DMFT) and anthropometric measures was estimated using unadjusted and adjusted multivariable linear regression models. Critical value was established at 5%. RESULTS: Our study population consisted of 67 children between the ages of 1 and 18 years old. Mean age was 9.5 years old (SD: 4.5), and the majority were female (52.2%). Almost all had dental caries (97.0%) and the mean dmft/DMFT score was 7.2 (SD: 4.7). The SiC Index of this population was 9.0. After adjusting for confounding variables, participants who had permanent dentition with the highest dmft/DMFT levels had statistically significant decreased height-for-age z-scores (HAZ) (p=0.04). CONCLUSIONS: We found an inverse linear association between SiC Index and height-for-age z-scores (HAZ) among children living in poverty in a floating Amazonian community in Peru. Children from under-resourced communities, like floating slums, are at high risk for oral disease possibly negatively impacting their growth and development.

An Assessment of Pediatric Dental Caries and Family Quality of Life in an Informal Amazonian Community.

Background: Oral diseases are among the most prevalent non-communicable diseases worldwide, disproportionally affecting vulnerable populations. The Community of Claverito is one of many informal urban floating communities located on the Amazon River in Peru. Objectives: To assess child and caregiver dental health status (DHS) and to measure the associations between child DHS and child and family quality of life in the informal Community of Claverito. Methods: DHS, as measured by decayed and filled teeth (DFT/dft), was recorded for 66 children and 35 caregivers using the WHO Oral Assessment form. Oral health-related quality of life was measured using the Parental-Caregiver Perceptions Questionnaire (P-CPQ). The family impact of child oral disorders was measured using the Family Impact Scale (FIS). Descriptive statistics, correlations, and regression analyses were used to evaluate the associations between DFT/dft, P-CPQ, and FIS scores (p < 0.05). Findings: The majority of children assessed were female (52%) with a mean age of 9.4 years (SD ± 4.4). The prevalence of untreated child dental caries was 97%. The child and caregiver's mean DFT/dft scores were 6.8 (SD ± 4.5) and 8.7 (SD ± 13.3), respectively. Mean total P-CPQ and total FIS scores were 33.4 and 12.5, respectively. A significant positive association was observed between child DFT/dft scores and total FIS scores (p < 0.01). Significant associations were also observed between child DFT/dft scores and caregiver age (p < 0.01) and child DFT/dft scores and caregiver DFT scores (p < 0.01). Conclusions: Children and their caregivers living in the Community of Claverito exhibited high levels of dental caries. Children's untreated dental caries were associated with both family's quality of life and caregivers' untreated dental caries. Further research is needed on how improving availability and access to oral health services have the potential to benefit the health of residents of informal communities like the one of Claverito.

[Epidemiology, landscape architecture, "one health," and innovation: experience in an amazonian community]. / Epidemiología, arquitectura paisajista, "una salud" e innovación: experiencia en una comunidad amazónica.

This article makes brief reference to the background of the "One Health" concept in the global and Peruvian context, and to the way in which this holistic health perspective served as the foundation for the creation of the Center for Technological, Biomedical, and Environmental Research (CITBM) at Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos. Additionally, it describes the InterACTION Labs project, one of the experiences using the "One Health" approach, led by CITBM, the University of Washington, and Traction, an NGO focused on design and research in health and ecology topics. InterACTION Labs is a design and transdisciplinary action-research (TDAR) program developed in "Claverito," a floating community in the city of Iquitos in the Peruvian Amazon, based on the hypothesis that the built environment is a health determinant for both humans and other species (birds, reptiles, plants, etc.). It also discusses the concept of 'built environment' as related to the theory and practice of public health, landscape architecture, epidemiology, and other health and environmental fields. Finally, it reflects on the achievements and challenges of the project that began in 2015, and describes the work plan for the coming years, with a proposal to extend the program and use the "One Health" approach to promote human, ecological, and environmental health in Peru and other parts of the world.

Este artículo hace breve referencia a los antecedentes del concepto de "Una Salud" en el contexto mundial y peruano, y la forma como esta perspectiva holística de salud sirvió de fundamento para la creación del Centro de Investigaciones, Tecnológicas, Biomédicas y Medioambientales (CITBM) en la Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos. Seguidamente, describe el proyecto InterACTION Labs, una de las experiencias que usa el enfoque de "Una Salud", liderado por el CITBM, la Universidad de Washington y Traction, esta última una organización no gubernamental enfocada en el diseño e investigación en salud y ecología. InterACTION Labs es un programa de diseño e investigación-acción transdisciplinaria (TDAR, por sus siglas en inglés) que se desarrolla en "Claverito", una comunidad flotante en la ciudad de Iquitos en la Amazonía peruana, y que se sustenta en la hipótesis de que el entorno construido es determinante de la salud, tanto del ser humano como de otras especies (aves, reptiles, plantas, etc.). También, discute el concepto de entorno construido en relación a la teoría y práctica de la salud pública, la arquitectura paisajista, la epidemiología y otros campos de la salud y del medio ambiente. Finalmente, reflexiona en los logros y desafíos del proyecto que comenzó en 2015, y describe el plan de trabajo para los próximos años, en los que se propone extender el programa y el uso del enfoque de "Una Salud" para promover la salud humana, ecológica y ambiental en el Perú y otras partes del mundo.

Physical and Mental Health Impacts of Household Gardens in an Urban Slum in Lima, Peru.

Rural poverty and lack of access to education has led to urban migration and fed the constant growth of urban slums in Lima, Peru. Inhabitants of these informal settlements lack land rights and access to a public water supply, resulting in poor sanitation, an inability to grow food, and suboptimal health outcomes. A repeated measures longitudinal pilot study utilizing participatory design methods was conducted in Lima between September 2013 and September 2014 to determine the feasibility of implementing household gardens and the subsequent impact of increased green space on well-being. Anthropometric data and a composite of five validated mental health surveys were collected at the baseline, 6-months, and 12-months after garden construction. Significant increases from the baseline in all domains of quality of life, including: physical (p < 0.01), psychological (p = 0.05), social (p = 0.02), environmental (p = 0.02), and overall social capital (p < 0.01) were identified 12 months after garden construction. Life-threatening experiences decreased significantly compared to the baseline (p = 0.02). There were no significant changes in parent or partner empathy (p = 0.21), BMI (p = 0.95), waist circumference (p = 0.18), or blood pressure (p = 0.66) at 6 or 12 months. Improved access to green space in the form of a household garden can significantly improve mental health in an urban slum setting.

Dental caries and anthropometrics of children living in an informal floating Amazonian community: a cross-sectional pilot study

Abstract Aims: Increasing evidence supports a relationship between poor oral health and growth in children. Our objective was to assess the association between the presence of dental caries and anthropometric measurements of children residing in Claverito, a floating slum community in the Peruvian Amazon. Methods: For this cross-sectional study, presence of caries was assessed using dmft/DMFT (decayed, missing, filled teeth) scores and the SiC Index (mean dmft/DMFT of one-third of the study group with the highest caries score). Anthropometric categories for age-sex-specific z-scores for height and weight were calculated based on WHO standardized procedures and definitions. The association between SiC (measured by dmft/DMFT) and anthropometric measures was estimated using unadjusted and adjusted multivariable linear regression models. Critical value was established at 5%. Results: Our study population consisted of 67 children between the ages of 1 and 18 years old. Mean age was 9.5 years old (SD: 4.5), and the majority were female (52.2%). Almost all had dental caries (97.0%) and the mean dmft/DMFT score was 7.2 (SD: 4.7). The SiC Index of this population was 9.0. After adjusting for confounding variables, participants who had permanent dentition with the highest dmft/DMFT levels had statistically significant decreased height-for-age z-scores (HAZ) (p=0.04). Conclusions: We found an inverse linear association between SiC Index and height-for-age z-scores (HAZ) among children living in poverty in a floating Amazonian community in Peru. Children from under-resourced communities, like floating slums, are at high risk for oral disease possibly negatively impacting their growth and development.

Resumo Objetivos: Há cada vez mais evidências apoiando uma relação entre a saúde bucal precária e o crescimento das crianças. Nosso objetivo foi avaliar a associação entre a presença de cárie dentária e medidas antropométricas de crianças residentes em Claverito, uma comunidade flutuante de favelas na Amazônia peruana. Métodos: Para este estudo transversal, a presença de cárie foi avaliada utilizando os escores dmft/DMFT (dentes cariados, ausentes, preenchidos) e o Índice SiC (média dmft/DMFT de um terço do grupo de estudo com a maior pontuação de cárie). As categorias antropométricas para pontuações z específicas de idade e sexo para altura e peso foram calculadas com base nos procedimentos e definições padronizados da OMS. A associação entre SiC (medido por dmft/DMFT) e medidas antropométricas foi estimada usando modelos de regressão linear multivariável não ajustados e ajustados. O valor crítico foi estabelecido em 5%. Resultados: A população do estudo consistia de 67 crianças entre 1 e 18 anos de idade. A idade média era de 9,5 anos (DP: 4,5), e a maioria era do sexo feminino (52,2%). Quase todas tinham cárie dentária (97,0%) e a média da pontuação dmft/DMFT foi de 7,2 (DP: 4,7). O índice SiC desta população era de 9,0. Após ajuste para variáveis confusas, os participantes que tinham dentição permanente com os níveis mais altos de dmft/DMFT tinham diminuído estatisticamente a pontuação z de altura por idade (HAZ) (p=0,04). Conclusões: Encontramos uma associação linear inversa entre o Índice SiC e as pontuações z de altura por idade (HAZ) entre crianças que vivem na pobreza em uma comunidade amazônica flutuante no Peru. Crianças de comunidades com poucos recursos, como favelas flutuantes, correm alto risco de contrair doenças orais, possivelmente impactando negativamente seu crescimento e desenvolvimento.

Epidemiología, arquitectura paisajista, «Una Salud¼ e innovación: experiencia en una comunidad amazónica / Epidemiology, landscape architecture, "One Health," and innovation: experience in an amazonian community

Este artículo hace breve referencia a los antecedentes del concepto de «Una Salud¼ en el contexto mundial y peruano, y la forma como esta perspectiva holística de salud sirvió de fundamento para la creación del Centro de Investigaciones, Tecnológicas, Biomédicas y Medioambientales (CITBM) en la Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos. Seguidamente, describe el proyecto InterACTION Labs, una de las experiencias que usa el enfoque de «Una Salud¼, liderado por el CITBM, la Universidad de Washington y Traction, esta última una organización no gubernamental enfocada en el diseño e investigación en salud y ecología. InterACTION Labs es un programa de diseño e investigación-acción transdisciplinaria (TDAR, por sus siglas en inglés) que se desarrolla en «Claverito¼, una comunidad flotante en la ciudad de Iquitos en la Amazonía peruana, y que se sustenta en la hipótesis de que el entorno construido es determinante de la salud, tanto del ser humano como de otras especies (aves, reptiles, plantas, etc.). También, discute el concepto de entorno construido en relación a la teoría y práctica de la salud pública, la arquitectura paisajista, la epidemiología y otros campos de la salud y del medio ambiente. Finalmente, reflexiona en los logros y desafíos del proyecto que comenzó en 2015, y describe el plan de trabajo para los próximos años, en los que se propone extender el programa y el uso del enfoque de «Una Salud¼ para promover la salud humana, ecológica y ambiental en el Perú y otras partes del mundo.

This article makes brief reference to the background of the "One Health" concept in the global and Peruvian context, and to the way in which this holistic health perspective served as the foundation for the creation of the Center for Technological, Biomedical, and Environmental Research (CITBM) at Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos. Additionally, it describes the InterACTION Labs project, one of the experiences using the "One Health" approach, led by CITBM, the University of Washington, and Traction, an NGO focused on design and research in health and ecology topics. InterACTION Labs is a design and transdisciplinary action-research (TDAR) program developed in "Claverito," a floating community in the city of Iquitos in the Peruvian Amazon, based on the hypothesis that the built environment is a health determinant for both humans and other species (birds, reptiles, plants, etc.). It also discusses the concept of 'built environment' as related to the theory and practice of public health, landscape architecture, epidemiology, and other health and environmental fields. Finally, it reflects on the achievements and challenges of the project that began in 2015, and describes the work plan for the coming years, with a proposal to extend the program and use the "One Health" approach to promote human, ecological, and environmental health in Peru and other parts of the world.