Domestic water sourcing and the risk of diarrhoea: a cross-sectional survey of a peri-urban community in Jos, Nigeria.

TLDR

There is association between domestic water sourcing practice and the risk of developing diarrhea and high premium should be placed on improving access to water and improved household hygiene as a way of helping to curb diarrhea.

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Water and sanitation has been identified as an important component of Primary Health Care (PHC) necessitating the World Health Organization to declare 1981-1990 as the international water years. Nigeria is the largest single country in sub Saharan Africa worst hit with about three quarters of its population unable to access safe water. The study aims to examine the association between domestic water sourcing practice and the risk of developing diarrhea.

METHODOLOGY

A total of 200 households were studied over an eight week period from 4th June to 31st July 2005 using an interviewer administered questionnaire. Data was analyzed using Epi Info version 3.5.1.

RESULTS

Most of the household (80%) were seen to source domestic water from the municipal pipe-borne water supply while only 5% source water from their own dug-in well only. 27% of the households reported diarrhea in their household in the last six month. The diarrhea was found to have bivariate association with the number of children in the household, the educational level of the household head, and income of household head. No association was found between diarrhea and age of household head.

CONCLUSION

The study showed that there is association between domestic water sourcing practice and the risk of developing diarrhea. It is therefore recommended that high premium be placed on improving access to water and improved household hygiene as a way of helping to curb diarrhea.