Research has shown that parental feeding styles may influence children’s food consumption, energy intake, and ultimately, weight status. We examine this relationship, among recent immigrants to the US. Given that immigrant parents and children are at greater risk for becoming overweight/obese with increased time in the US, identification of risk factors for weight gain is critical.

Urogenital schistosomiasis caused by Schistosoma haematobium was endemic in Adasawase, Ghana in 2007. Transmission was reported to be primarily through recreational water contact. We designed a water recreation area (WRA) to prevent transmission to school-aged children. The WRA features a concrete pool supplied by a borehole well and a gravity-driven rainwater collection system; it is 30 m² and is split into shallow and deep sections to accommodate a variety of age groups. The WRA opened in 2009 and children were encouraged to use it for recreation as opposed to the local river. We screened children annually for S. haematobium eggs in their urine in 2008, 2009, and 2010 and established differences in infection rates before (2008–09) and after (2009–10) installation of the WRA. After each annual screening, children were treated with praziquantel and rescreened to confirm parasite clearance. Initial baseline testing in 2008 established that 105 of 247 (42.5%) children were egg-positive. In 2009, with drug treatment alone, the pre-WRA annual cumulative incidence of infection was 29 of 216 (13.4%). In 2010, this incidence rate fell significantly (p<0.001, chi-squared) to 9 of 245 (3.7%) children after installation of the WRA. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine correlates of infection among the variables age, sex, distance between home and river, minutes observed at the river, low height-for-age, low weight-for-age, low Body Mass Index (BMI)-for-age, and previous infection status. The installation and use of a WRA is a feasible and highly effective means to reduce the incidence of schistosomiasis in school-aged children in a rural Ghanaian community. In conjunction with drug treatment and education, such an intervention can represent a significant step towards the control of schistosomiasis. The WRA should be tested in other water-rich endemic areas to determine whether infection prevalence can be substantially reduced. Urogenital schistosomiasis is a disease caused by the parasite Schistosoma haematobium; it is often characterized by bloody urine and tends to disproportionately affect school-aged children in rural tropical regions. The parasite is transmitted via skin contact with surface water that is contaminated by human waste. The disease was endemic in Adasawase, a rural Ghanaian community, in 2007. Transmission occurred mainly through recreational water contact. We collaborated with community members to design a water recreation area (WRA) featuring a concrete pool supplied by a borehole well and a rainwater collection system. We opened the pool in 2009 and local officials encouraged children to use the WRA for recreation. We screened local children annually (2008, 2009, 2010) for S. haematobium infection. After each screening, children were treated with praziquantel and rescreened. Baseline testing in 2008 established that at least 105 of 247 (42.5%) children were infected. In 2009, 29 of 216 (13.4%) children were infected, reflecting annual cumulative incidence. In 2010, a significantly smaller percentage of children (9 of 245, 3.7%) were infected. We conclude that the WRA effectively reduced infection in Adasawase, and that it should be tested in other water-rich endemic areas.

Residents in the Eastern Region, Ghana with access to improved water sources (e.g., boreholes and covered wells) often choose to collect water from unimproved sources (e.g., rivers and uncovered wells). To assess why, we conducted two field studies to coincide with Ghana’s rainy and dry seasons. During the rainy season, we conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews among a convenience sample of 26 women in four rural communities (including one woman in the dry season). We asked each participant about their attitudes and perceptions of water sources. During the dry season, we observed four women for ≤4 days each to provide context for water collection and water source choice. We used a grounded theory approach considering the multiple household water sources and uses approach to identify three themes informing water source choice: collection of and access to water, water quality perception, and the dynamic interaction of these. Women selected water sources based on multiple factors, including season, accessibility, religious/spiritual messaging, community messaging (e.g., health risks), and ease-of-use (e.g., physical burden). Gender and power dynamics created structural barriers that affected the use of unimproved water sources. A larger role for women in water management and supply decision-making could advance population health goals.