About Me
I am an Assistant Professor with a Tenure Track Chair on Water, Health and Decisions at the Faculty ITC, University of Twente. My mission is to use water- and health-related related knowledge, information and data to inform improved health-promoting decision-making and interventions.
My group focuses on water and health challenges and how to solve them. Our research aims at providing safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) to prevent exposure to water-related infectious disease, at reducing adverse impacts of extreme weather events on health-promoting infrastructure, and at promoting blue spaces to support well-being. We use a broad nexus perspective, and consider implications of environmental justice and inequality, extreme weather events, cultural context, and are particularly interested in working with vulnerable population groups.
We conduct empirical mixed methods research and employ a number of different research methods and tools, closely involving the target population in capturing spatial and non-spatial, individual and collective information to co-define challenges they are facing, co-design methods that work best for them, and co-create solutions and interventions. We work across different sectors and with different stakeholders, and collaborate with international organizations, governments and research institutes globally.
Our ongoing projects are being implemented in Sub-Saharan Africa (Kenya, Ghana, Zimbabwe), Latin America (Brazil, Peru), and Europe (Netherlands, Germany).
Expertise
Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC), Department of Earth Observation Science (EOS)Research
My research focuses on water- and health-related infrastructure, knowledge and behaviour. I consider water and health challenges, such as
- water-related infectious disease exposure and prevention;
- provision of safe water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH);
- impact of flooding on WASH, disease exposure and healthcare service provision
from a broader nexus perspective. That includes, for example, implications of inequality, extreme weather events, education and cultural context. I am interested in local knowledge, perspectives and perceptions of water- and health-related challenges and in understanding how such local and contextualized knowledge can be used to inform public health planning, decision-making and interventions.
Publications
Selected publications
Anthonj, C., Githinji, S., Höser, C., Stein, A., Blanford, J., Grossi, V., 2021. Kenyan school book knowledge for water, sanitation, hygiene and health education interventions: Disconnect, integration or opportunities? International Journal for Hygiene and Environmental Health 235, 113756.
Manga, M., Camargo-Valero, M.A., Anthonj, C., Evans, B.E., 2021. Fate of faecal pathogen indicators during faecal sludge composting with different bulking agents in tropical climate. International Journal for Hygiene and Environmental Health 232, 113670.
Anthonj, C., Setty, K.S., Ezbakhe, F., Manga, M., Hoeser, C., 2020. A systematic review of water, sanitation, hygiene and environmental health among Roma communities in Europe: Situation analysis, cultural context, and obstacles to improvement. International Journal for Hygiene and Environmental Health 226 (113506).
Cori, L., Bianchi, F., Cadum, E., Anthonj, C., 2020. Risk Perception and COVID-19. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17(9), 3114.
Anthonj, C., Tracy, J.W., Fleming, L., Shields, K.F., Tikoisuva, W.M., Kelly, E.R., Thakkar, M.B., Cronk, R.D., Overmars, M., Bartram, J., 2020. Geographical inequalities in drinking water in the Solomon Islands. Science of the Total Environment 712, 135241.
Fleming, L., Anthonj, C., Thakkar, M.B., Tikoisuva, W.M., Cronk, R. Kelly, E., Shields, K.F., Manga, M., Howard, G., Overmars, M., Bartram, J., 2019. Urban and rural sanitation and hygiene in the Solomon Islands: resilient to extreme weather events? Science of the Total Environment 683, 331-340.
Anthonj, C., Falkenberg, T., 2019. Thirst World? Linking Water and Health in the Context of Development. Book chapter in: Blue Space, Health and Wellbeing: Hydrophilia Unbounded. Routledge. 167-189.
Anthonj, C., Diekkrüger, B., Borgemeister, C., Kistemann, T., 2019. Health risk perceptions and local knowledge of water-related infectious disease exposure among Kenyan wetland communities. International Journal for Hygiene and Environmental Health 222 (1), 34-48.
Anthonj, C., Fleming, L., Cronk, R., Godfrey, S., Ambelu, A., Bevan, J., Sozzi, E., Bartram, J., 2018. Improving monitoring and water point functionality in rural Ethiopia. Water 10 (11), 1591.
Anthonj, C., Githinji, S., Kistemann, T., 2018. The impact of water on health and ill-health in a sub- Saharan African wetland: Exploring both sides of the coin. Science of the Total Environment 624, 1411-1420.
Anthonj, C., Rechenburg, A., Höser, C., Kistemann, T., 2017. Contracting Infectious Diseases in Sub-Saharan African Wetlands: A Question of Use? A Review. International Journal for Hygiene and Environmental Health 220, 1110-1123
Anthonj, C., Rechenburg, A., Kistemann, T., 2016. Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Wetlands. The Case of Ewaso Narok Swamp, Kenya. International Journal for Hygiene and Environmental Health 219 (7), 606-616.
Anthonj, C., Nkongolo, O.T., Schmitz, P., Hango, J.N., Kistemann, T., 2015. The Impact of Flooding on People living with HIV: a case study from Ohangwena Region, Namibia. Global Health Action 8, 26441.
UT Research Information System
Google Scholar Link
Affiliated Study Programmes
Master
Courses Academic Year 2023/2024
Contact Details
Visiting Address
University of Twente
Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation
Langezijds
(building no. 19), room 1213
Hallenweg 8
7522NH Enschede
The Netherlands
Mailing Address
University of Twente
Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation
Langezijds
1213
P.O. Box 217
7500 AE Enschede
The Netherlands