Determinants of Open Defecation among Rural Women in Ghana: Analysis of 2003, 2008 and 2014 Demographic and Health Surveys

Abstract

The study investigated determinants of open defecation among rural women in Ghana. The study extracted data from the female’s file of the 2003, 2008 and 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS). A total of 4,284 pooled sample size of rural women aged 15-49 with complete information about the variables analyzed in the study. The outcome variable was “open defecation” (i.e., defecating in an open space rather than a toilet facility) whilst fourteen (14) key explanatory variables were used. Two regression models were built, and output reported in odds ratio. Descriptively, 42 in every 100 women aged 15-49 practised open defecation (n=1811, 95’CI=49-52). Open defecation significantly correlated with educational attainment, wealth status, religion, access to mass media, partner's education, and zone of residence. The likelihood to practice open defecation reduced among those with formal education [aOR=0.69, CI=0.56-0.85], those whose partners had formal education [aOR=0.64, CI=0.52-0.80], women in the rich wealth quintile [aOR=0.12, CI=0.07-0.20], the traditionalist [aOR=0.33, CI=0.19-0.57], and those who had access to mass media [aOR=0.70, CI=0.57-0.85]. Residents in the Savannah zone were over 21-fold higher to defecate openly [aOR=21.06, CI=15.97-27.77]. The prevalence of open defecation is disproportionately pro-poor indicating that impoverished rural women are more likely to perform it.

Prevalence of Open Defecation Practice and Associated Factors Among Households in Geshiyaro Project Implementation Sites in Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…This finding is consistent with a study in Ghana, which found that women with formal education had a decreased likelihood of practicing open defecation compared to those without formal education (AOR = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.56-0.85). 31 In this study, the majority of household heads were farmers residing in rural areas, as indicated in Table 1 , and they exhibited a high prevalence of open defecation practices. This observation aligns with research conducted in Haiti, which similarly noted higher rates of open defecation among farmers and their households.…”

“…Additional studies corroborate this model assumption, as their findings revealed no indication of poor fit or misspecification. 31 Thus, this analysis was conducted to verify that hypothesized conditions were true.…”

Determinants of Open Defecation Among Rural Women in Ghana: Analysis of Demographic and Health Surveys

“…Despite this, investment priorities continue to favour drinking water over sanitation. 8 , 9 In Nigeria, for instance, more than130 million people, constituting two-thirds of the population, lack access to basic sanitation facilities. Similarly, in South Africa, over 18 million people face a similar challenge.…”