Association Between Water Quality, Sanitation And Hygiene On Diarrhoea Cases In Korogwe District, Tanga, Tanzania

Abstract

Introduction: High risk water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) are still prevailing in most low-income countries and globally. Limited access to WASH and low knowledge on their proper practice within households and in the societies highly expose people especially children under five years to diarrheal diseases. Objectives: This study determined water quality, sanitation and hygiene in selected households in Korogwe urban district and their association to diarrhea cases among children under five years. Methodology: A cross sectional study focused mainly on under-fives in selected households and included caregivers who were interviewed using structured questionnaire to gather information regarding to prevalence of diarrhea cases among their children, sociodemographic characteristics, drinking water factors and sanitation status. Observation checklist on hygiene factors and types of sanitation facilities. Water samples from main water sources were collected and taken to the laboratory for analysis (fecal coliform) by membrane filtration technique. Statistical data analysis was done using STATA version 15, univariate analysis, and bivariate analysis using Chi-square and multiple logistic regression. Results: A total of 318 child/caregiver pairs were recruited in the study.51.9% of children aged 25-48 months and 53.8% male and 47.2% female. 94.5% of caregivers were biological mothers and 32.4% of them had 30-34 years, 96.5% were married and mostly had primary education. 58.8% of the households comprised of more than 6 members and 55.3% below 200,000Tsh income per month. The independent predictors of diarrhea cases among children under five were sources of drinking water, spring (AOR=0.23:95% CI, p-value 0.019) and (AOR=0.33, p-value=0.043) river-domestic point compared to treated water sources users. Absence of handwashing facilities (AOR=3.6:95% CI, p-value 0.04), not storing drinking water separately (AOR=5.4:95%CI, p-value 0.00) and absence of toilet cleaning tools (AOR=4.2:95%CI, p-value 0.002).