Exploring and profiling of childhood illnesses in informal settlements in relation to flooding : a case study of Barcelona, Cape Town, South Africa
Date
2013
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Department of Civil Engineering, University of Cape Town
Abstract
The research findings suggest that flood-related illnesses in Barcelona (an informal settlement area of Cape Town) result from different and interlinking factors. These include: poor access to basic services, general poor urban health, location of the settlement and household hygienic factors. In addition, children were more exposed to risks inside dwellings as compared to risks outside dwellings. Households applied both proactive and reactive strategies such as buying of medication before and during flooding, bathing their children after they finish playing, sending children to relatives during the flooding period, and cleaning dwellings after flooding. Vector-borne illnesses were the least recorded cases.
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Keywords
FLOODS, WATER POLLUTANTS, HEALTH HAZARDS, MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH, SANITATION SERVICES, CLIMATE CHANGE, DISASTER PREVENTION, DISASTER MANAGEMENT, SOUTH AFRICA, CIVIL ENGINEERING, CAPE TOWN, INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS, SOUTH OF SAHARA