Abstract

ALVAREZ MINO, Lídice; CANTILLO MATOS, Katherine; RICO GUTIERREZ, Kevin  and  SALAZAR, Alexander. Access and quality of water for human consumption in Santa Marta as an indicator of inequity in health. Univ. Salud [online]. 2013, vol.15, n.2, pp.113-122. ISSN 0124-7107.

Objective: To determine the access and quality of water for human consumption in the urban area of Santa Marta as one of Social Determinants of Health that must be transformed in the framework of the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out with 1557 selected houses by cluster samplings, which were surveyed of household access to safe water. A water sample was taken from each district of Santa Marta in order to evaluate its quality of it through the membrane filtration technique and defined substrate. Epi Info 7 was used to analyze the data through association with Odds Ratio and to georeference them. Results: 94.7% of houses have home water service but 49.7% showed frequent service cuts. The relationship between household water access and socioeconomic stratum (OR = 4.27), and between service cuts and socioeconomic stratum (OR = 2.61) were significant (p < 0.0001). Four of the nine samples were contaminated with coliform. Conclusion: Decision makers must ensure quality and permanent access to safe water for human consumption to all people, so that there is an advance in reducing the health inequality gaps.

Keywords : Drinking Water; water Quality; health Inequalities; coliforms.

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