Grant: Project Grant

Many Canadians like to go to beaches each summer to swim and play. Sometimes, swimming or playing in the water and sand can make people sick from disease-causing microbes. These microbes can cause diarrhea, vomiting, upset stomach, flu-like illness, skin rash, earaches, or eye infections. Many people with these illnesses have to stay home sick from work or school. This costs society a lot of money. In serious cases, people may need to go to the hospital. Children get sick more often than adults. Their illnesses also tend to be more serious. Right now, we do not have enough information about how often people get sick from swimming and playing at beaches in Canada. People who go to the beach also might not know about how to protect themselves from these illnesses. This study will look at how often Canadians get sick from swimming and playing at public beaches. The results will help us make better guidelines for safe swimming in Canada. They will also help people understand how to keep themselves safe at the beach. In this study, we will survey people who go to the beach and see if they get sick afterwards. We will look at whether there is a link between swimming and the risk of getting sick. We will also look at risks of getting sick from other water activities and playing in the sand. We will also see if certain groups of people, like children, are more likely to get sick than others. We will test the beach water for microbes that can make people sick, and we will find out where they came from. This will help us figure out the sources of pollution that make people sick at the beach. We will also speak with people to find out what they think about water quality and what they do to stay safe at the beach. The study will take place at eight popular beaches in British Columbia, Manitoba, and Ontario. A group of researchers and experts will guide the study. Our goal is to make swimming and playing at the beach safer for everyone in Canada.