Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2014, 11(2), 1626-1646; doi:10.3390/ijerph110201626
Risk Factors Associated with the Choice to Drink Bottled Water and Tap Water in Rural Saskatchewan
1
Large Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, 52 Campus Dr., Saskatoon SK S7N 5B4, Canada
2
School of Public Health, University of Saskatchewan, 107 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon SK S7N 5E5, Canada
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 12 November 2013 / Revised: 30 December 2013 / Accepted: 22 January 2014 / Published: 30 January 2014
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Access, Health, Regulations, and Policy: Exploring Rural and Remote Drinking Water Supplies in North America)
Abstract
A cross-sectional study investigated risk factors associated with choices to drink bottled water and tap water in rural Saskatchewan. Of 7,500 anonymous postal questionnaires mailed out, 2,065 responses were analyzed using generalized linear mixed models. Those who reported a water advisory (p < 0.001) or living in the area for £10 years (p = 0.01) were more likely to choose bottled water. Those who reported tap water was not safe to drink were more likely to choose bottled water, an effect greater for those who had no aesthetic complaints (p ≤ 0.001), while those with aesthetic complaints were more likely to choose bottled water if they believed the water was safe (p < 0.001). Respondents who treated their water and did not use a community supply were more likely to choose bottled water (p < 0.001), while those who did not treat their water were more likely to choose bottled water regardless of whether a community supply was used (p < 0.001). A similar pattern of risk factors was associated with a decreased likelihood of consuming tap water daily; however, the use of a community water supply was not significant. Understanding the factors involved in drinking water choices could inform public health education efforts regarding water management in rural areas. View Full-TextKeywords:
drinking water; bottled water; tap water; water treatment; water quality; risk perception; aesthetic characteristics
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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 3.0).
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McLeod, L.; Bharadwaj, L.; Waldner, C. Risk Factors Associated with the Choice to Drink Bottled Water and Tap Water in Rural Saskatchewan. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2014, 11, 1626-1646.
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