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. 2021 Feb 24;18(5):2240.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph18052240.

Housing Quality in a Rural and an Urban Settlement in South Africa

Angela Mathee  1   2   3 , Jocelyn Moyes  4 , Thulisa Mkhencele  4 , Jackie Kleynhans  4 , Brigitte Language  5 , Stuart Piketh  5 , Elias Moroe  6 , Floidy Wafawanaka  7 , Neil Martinson  6 , Meredith McMorrow  8   9 , Stefano Tempia  8   9   10 , Kathleen Kahn  7 , Cheryl Cohen  2   4
Affiliations

Housing Quality in a Rural and an Urban Settlement in South Africa

Angela Mathee et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

During 2016 to 2018, a prospective household cohort study of influenza and respiratory syncytial virus community burden and transmission dynamics (the PHIRST study) was undertaken to examine the factors associated with influenza and other respiratory pathogen transmissions in South Africa. We collected information on housing conditions in the PHIRST study sites: Rural villages near Agincourt, Bushbuckridge Municipality, Mpumalanga Province, and urban Jouberton Township in North West Province. Survey data were collected from 159 and 167 study households in Agincourt and Jouberton, respectively. Multiple housing-related health hazards were identified in both sites, but particularly in Agincourt. In Agincourt, 75% (119/159) of households reported daily or weekly interruptions in water supply and 98% (154/159) stored drinking water in miscellaneous containers, compared to 1% (1/167) and 69% (115/167) of households in Jouberton. Fuels other than electricity (such as wood) were mainly used for cooking by 44% (70/159) and 7% (11/167) of Agincourt and Jouberton households, respectively; and 67% (106/159) of homes in Agincourt versus 47% (79/167) in Jouberton were located on unpaved roads, which is associated with the generation of dust and particulate matter. This study has highlighted housing conditions in Agincourt and Jouberton that are detrimental to health, and which may impact disease severity or transmission in South African communities.

Keywords: South Africa; air pollution; environmental health; fuel use; housing; water.

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Conflict of interest statement

CC has received grant support from Sanofi Pasteur, Advanced Vaccine Initiative, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and payment of travel costs from Parexel. The other authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Disclaimer: The findings and conclusions in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the funding agencies.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Map of South Africa showing the location of the study sites: PHIRST †, 2016–2018. † PHIRST: Prospective Household cohort study of Influenza and Respiratory Syncytial virus community burden and Transmission dynamics in South Africa. Map: Thandi Kapwata, SAMRC Environment & Health Research Unit.
Figure 2
Figure 2
An outdoor kitchen in the Agincourt study site, South Africa: PHIRST †, 2016–2018. † PHIRST: Prospective Household cohort study of Influenza and Respiratory Syncytial virus community burden and Transmission dynamics in South Africa. Photograph: Angela Mathee.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Water storage in an Agincourt kitchen, South Africa: PHIRST †, 2016–2018. † PHIRST: Prospective Household cohort study of Influenza and Respiratory Syncytial virus community burden and Transmission dynamics in South Africa. Photograph: Angela Mathee.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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