WASH facilities prevalence and determinants: Evidence from 42 developing countries

Abstract

Improved WASH facilities are crucial for reducing infectious diseases such as diarrhoea, malaria, dengue, and worms, etc. However, a large proportion of households in developing countries lack basic WASH facilities. Therefore, the current paper uses the household data from 733,223 households in fourty two developing countries to explore the prevalence rate of basic WASH facilities. The result shows that access to basic drinking water is much better than access to other WASH facilities, such as basic sanitation and hygiene facilities. However, the prevalence of basic drinking water, basic sanitation, and basic hygiene vary across different regions and countries-low in Africa and South Asia. The multi-level regression model shows that households with better economic status and education and urban households are more likely to use basic WASH facilities. Further, women empowerment and already having one WASH practice are also positively associated with the adoption of other WASH facilities. The policy should aim at improving awareness about the benefit of WASH facilities through education, and it should also subsidize WASH facilities for poor households and those living in rural areas.

Inequalities in the reported impacts of COVID-19 on child health: A narrative review

“…A study on WASH facilities prevalence and determinants from 42 developing countries indicated that only about 64% of the households had access to basic water, which places countries such as Chad and Ethiopia at the receiving end (Rahut et al, 2022). This poses a massive threat to the life of children as they are more exposed to waterborne diseases such as cholera (Charnley et al, 2022).…”

Impact of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Components on Under-5 Children's Mortality in Ethiopia: A Comparative Analysis of Count Regression Models

“…Unfortunately, there are vast gaps in the implementation and management of WASH facilities such as health station handwashing areas and waste systems in a health care structure (Potgieter et al, 2021). However, there are gaps in the implementation and management of WASH facilities, such as handwashing stations and waste systems, in many healthcare facilities (Rahut et al, 2022;Sridhar et al, 2020). Additionally, the prevalence of basic WASH facilities varies across different regions and countries, with lower access in Africa and South Asia.…”

“…Improved water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) practices are crucial for public health (Cumming et al, 2019;Meadors et al, n.d.;Rahut et al, 2022;Shrestha et al, 2022;Traoré et al, 2023). Access to adequate WASH services, including clean drinking water, sanitation facilities, and handwashing with soap, is essential for preventing infectious diseases such as diarrhea, respiratory illnesses, and typhoid fever.…”