Association Between Drinking Water Sources and Osteoarthritis Incidence in Chinese Elderly Population: National...

The elderly is a vulnerable group susceptible to toxic environmental factors; however, the association between unsafe water and osteoarthritis (OA) incident among this population is poorly investigated. This study aimed to examine the effects of drinking water sources on OA risk in the Chinese elderly population.

Data were obtained from the China Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey to perform a 16-year longitudinal study. All participants aged ≥65 years at baseline were potentially eligible. Information on drinking water sources was recorded via a structured questionnaire. The water source was classified as well, surface, spring, or tap. OA was selected as the health outcome. Cox proportional hazard models, adjusted socio-demographics, lifestyle, and chronic disease were used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) for OA. Subgroup analyses were performed to assess the potential interactive effect.

A total of 12,543 participants were included. With restriction to the longest follow-up time, the mean survival time of follow-up was 14.56 years. Among the cohort members, 1,585 members suffered from OA. In the full model, drinking from well water and spring water was associated with a higher risk of OA compared with drinking from tap water (HR: 1.37, 95% CI: 1.22-1.54; HR: 1.34, 95% CI: 1.03-1.74). Except for age, the effects of modifications from socioeconomic status, lifestyles, and health conditions were non-significant (p for interaction <0.05). After multiple imputations for missing data and excluding deaths in the first year of follow-up and participants with a history of the disease and using the Shared-frailty Cox model, sensitivity analysis indicated a robust association between the drinking water source and OA incidence.

Drinking tap water was associated with a low risk of OA among older adults in China. The use of clean water sources as a marker of decreased OA and arthritis risks must be revisited in low- and middle-income countries.