Water management and the broader determinants of health : A rapid review prepared for Community and Public Health, Canterbury District Health Board

Health is defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as: “a state of complete

physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease”. As

this state cannot be achieved solely through the actions of health services, the WHO

definition implies that good health is also a product of actions of the wider

community. In some cases this concept is intuitive; it is clear that we need access to

clean drinking water to remain healthy, yet this service is provided by municipal

authorities rather than the health system. In other cases the concept is less clear; few

people realise that the strong social links within a community are associated with

improved health outcomes, yet there is extensive literature supporting such a

relationship (Kawachi, Kennedy et al. 1997; Kawachi, Kennedy et al. 1999; Quigley,

Cunningham et al. 2006). As health is important to individuals, communities and

economies, it is advantageous to all members of society for decision makers to

consider the health impacts of their decisions. This rapid review outlines some

possible effects of water management decisions on the broader determinants of health.