Knowledge, attitudes and practice of desalinated water among professionals in health and water departments in Shengsi, China: a qualitative study

PLoS One. 2015 Apr 13;10(4):e0118360. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0118360. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Desalination has been considered as an essential way to solve water stress all over the world. Most of previous studies focused on its environmental impacts, energy consumption and desalination technologies rather than human health. However, the safety of desalinated water remains unclear. This study was undertaken to investigate the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of the residents in an island county in eastern China to desalinated water. Seventeen people working in medical and water industries were recruited, and focus group discussion and in-depth interview were conducted among them. Our results showed that the majority of people interviewed knew the definition and local supply pattern of desalinated water, while some of them showed some concern about the safety and nutrition of desalinated water. Current drinking water standard has no specific item for desalination, so we strongly suggest issuing a standard for desalinated water.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Attitude*
  • China
  • Female
  • Health Personnel
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Osmosis
  • Public Opinion
  • Salts / isolation & purification*
  • Seawater / analysis*
  • Water Purification / methods*
  • Water Supply / methods*

Substances

  • Salts

Grants and funding

This study was supported by: the public science and technology research funds projects of ocean (grant no. 201305039-6) (http://www.soa.gov.cn/); the research special fund for public welfare industry of health (grant no. 201302004) (http://www.nhfpc.gov.cn/qjjys/index.shtml). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.