Sierra Ford
Sierra Ford is a junior in Indiana University’s Department of Applied Health Science, majoring in Community Health. She has worked with Dr. Rodrigo X Armijos and his research team for three years in the Department of Occupational and Environmental Health. She is currently pursuing an undergraduate honors degree with the School of Public Health and wishes to attain a Master’s degree in Physician Assistant Studies upon graduation.
Ethnic Disparities in Household Water Insecurity in Ecuador
Water security is a basic rights issue critical to human health, well-being, and social, economic, and political sustainability. Its high importance is highlighted by inclusion in the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals. Ecuador is a water-abundant Andean country regarded as one of the most environmentally and socially progressive countries in the Americas. However, governmental statistics suggests that ethnic disparities persist in its water security. We used nationally representative data from the 2018 Ecuadorian National Health and Nutrition Survey (n=42,071 households) to compare the water security situation of indigenous and afro-descendant households with mestizo non-minority households using WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) indicators: improved water source and water accessibility, availability, and safety. Data were analyzed with logistic regression, adjusting for household and community characteristics. We hypothesized that ethnic minority households would be more likely than mestizo households to have water insecurity resulting from marginalization, exclusion, and unequal material resource and services distribution. The results indicated that most households had an improved drinking water source (86%), accessible (62%), available (91%), and safe water (76%). However, compared to the mestizo reference group, indigenous households were less likely to report improved (AOR=0.36;95%C.I.=0.33,0.40;p< 0.001), available (AOR=0.57;95%C.I.=0.52,0.63;p< 0.001) and safe water (AOR=0.87;95% C.I.=0.81,0.95;p< 0.001) but more likely to report accessible water (AOR=1.39; 95%C.I.=1.28,1.50;p< 0.001). Afro-descendant households had reduced water availability only (AOR=0.78;95%C.I.=0.65,0.93;p= 0.007). In conclusion, indigenous and to a lesser extent, Afro-descendent households appear at-risk for water insecurity. Since climate change is expected to worsen water insecurity, mitigation strategies are urgently needed to reduce their vulnerability.
Accessibility Note: To access auto closed captions (CC) services please click on the CC icon in the bottom of the video. Manual CC are available by submitting a request for services to ATAC: (812) 856-4112 or atac@iu.edu