Socio-environmental determinants of exposure to water and sanitation related hazards in Pakistan

Abstract

Inadequate water and sanitation infrastructure leads to increased health risks to the population, in particular, children. The lack of access to improved water and sanitation facilities is a major cause of diarrheal diseases. At present, access to safe drinking water, improved sanitation facilities, good personal and food hygiene and health education are the main focus of intervention strategies. The knowledge on socio-environmental determinants of exposure to water and sanitation hazards can play a pivotal role supporting and guiding preventive measures for reducing the risk of exposure to water and sanitation related hazards. The present study was carried out to identify socio-environmental determinants of exposure to water and sanitation related hazards in Pakistan by taking the incidence of diarrhoea in under five years old as an archetypical disease of lack of access to improved water and sanitation facilities. A logit model has been used to predict the determinants of diarrhoea in under fives. The results indicate that household location, household size, number of children in the family, age of the mother, education of the mother, household head's employment, drinking water sources and toilet facility are important correlates of diarrhoea in children. The findings of the study may inform to prioritize the resource mobilization in capacity building towards designing the most effective prevention intervention strategies to reduce the risk of exposure to sanitation hazards.