TITLE:
Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Factors Associated with Child Illness in Tanzania
AUTHORS:
Marco Verdeja, Kendra Thomas, Gina Dorsan, Megan Hawks, Kirk Dearden, Nancy Stroupe, Taylor Hoj, Josh West, Benjamin Crookston, Mangi Ezekial, Cougar Hall
KEYWORDS:
Tanzania, Water, Sanitation, Hygiene, Childhood Illness
JOURNAL NAME:
Health,
Vol.11 No.6,
June
26,
2019
ABSTRACT: Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) are critical to ensuring health and preventing disease in Tanzania where approximately one-third of childhood deaths are related to poor hygiene. This study explored associations between WASH practices and childhood illness. Data came from a cross-sectional survey of 5000 female caregivers living in the Lake Zone region of Tanzania. Measures included self-reported presence of fever, diarrhea, cough and various WASH factors. Multiple logistic regressions were used. Thirty-seven percent of children experienced fever, 26% diarrhea, and 11% cough in the previous two weeks. Unimproved toilets were positively associated with fever (OR 1.25, CI 1.03 - 1.53, p