Control status of drinking-water-borne endemic fluorosis in Shaanxi Province: an analysis of survey results / 中华地方病学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To understand the schedule and effectiveness of water-improving defluoridation projects comprehensively in control of fluorosis in drinking-water-borne endemic fluorosis areas in Shaanxi Province,and to provide a scientific basis for making strategies in prevention and control the disease for the next step.Methods The progress of drinking-water-borne endemic fluorosis water-improving defluoridation projects and operation condition were investigated in Shaanxi (fluoride content of drinking water was greater than 1.2 mg/L in the endemic areas) in 2014,and children aged 8 to 12 in 32 epidemic villages of six counties including Jingbian,Dingbian,Dali,Jingyang,Qian and Liquan were selected to survey dental fluorosis.Results In Shaanxi Province,the number of villages with water fluorine content of more than 1.2 mg/L was 5 005 and water improvement rate was 83.42％ (4 175/5 005),water-improving projects operated normally rate was 85.05％ (3 551/4 175),and scraped was 37,accounted for 0.89％ (37/4 175).There were 830 epidemic villages without water-improving projects in Shaanxi Province,and high fluoride exposed population was 579 400,mainly distributed in Yulin,Xianyang,Weinan and Yan'an cities.A total of 1 849 children aged 8 to 12 in the 6 counties were examined,the detection rate of dental fluorosis was 56.57％ (1 046/1 849),the index of dental fluorosis was 1.11.Conclusion In drinking-water-borne fluorosis epidemic areas of Shaanxi,the improved-water rate is generally high,and the normal operation of waterimproving projects is overall good,but the measures for water-improving defluoridation must be reinforced and improved.