Temporal variation and persistence of bacteria in streams

Better understanding of bacterial fate and transport in watersheds is necessary for improved regulatory management of impaired streams. Novel statistical time series analyses of coliform data can be a useful tool for evaluating the dynamics of temporal variation and persistence of bacteria within a watershed. For this study, daily total coliform data for the Little River in East Tennessee from 1 Oct. 2000 to 31 Dec. 2005 were evaluated using novel time series techniques. The objective of this study was to analyze the total coliform concentration data to: (i) evaluate the temporal variation of the total coliform, and (ii) determine whether the total coliform concentration data demonstrated any long-term or short-term persistence. For robust analysis and comparison, both time domain and frequency domain approaches were used for the analysis. In the time domain, an autoregressive moving average approach was used; whereas in the frequency domain, spectral analysis was applied. As expected, the analyses showed that total coliform concentrations were higher in summer months and lower in winter months. However, the more interesting results showed that the total coliform concentration exhibited short-term as well as long-term persistence ranging from about 4 wk to approximately 1 yr, respectively. Comparison of the total coliform data to hydrologic data indicated both runoff and baseflow are responsible for the persistence.     

Refugee perceptions of the quality of healthcare: findings from a participatory assessment in Ngara, Tanzania

This article describes the findings of a participatory assessment of Burundian and Rwandan refugees' perceptions of the quality of health services in camps in Ngara, Tanzania. Taking a beneficiary-centred approach, it examines a collaborative effort by several agencies to develop a generic field guide to analyse refugees' views of healthcare services. The objective was to gather information that would contribute to significant improvements in the care offered in the camps. Although the primary focus was on healthcare, several broader questions considered other general apprehensions that might influence the way refugees perceive their healthcare. Findings indicated that while refugees in Ngara were generally satisfied with the quality of healthcare provided and healthcare promotion activities, recognition of some key refugee concerns would assist healthcare providers in enhancing services. With increasing need for refugee community participation in evaluating humanitarian assistance, this assessment has relevance both in the context of Ngara and beyond.