Abstract

Background: Clean water and handwashing are viewed as highly cost-effective for ensuring global health.

Objectives: To study association of availability of water and sanitary latrine in the household and handwashing practices of mothers, and how maternal handwashing practices and availability of water as well as sanitary latrine in the household affect morbidity among under-five children.

Methods: A community based cross-sectional study was undertaken during February 2010 covering 28 villages in coastal South India. The EPI 30-cluster sampling method was used and 1898 mothers of under-five children were interviewed regarding availability of water and sanitary latrine in the household, their handwashing practices and child morbidity in last one month.

Results: 58.9% and 39.9% households had a functioning water source and sanitary latrine respectively. Presence of water source and latrine inside the house and use of latrine improved handwashing practices of mothers (p<0.001). Handwashing by mothers with soap after defeacation, after routine work, before feeding the child and after cleaning the child who had defaecated reduced diarrhoea among children (p<0.05). Dwelling water supply source reduced frequency of ARI and fever among children (p<0.05). Use of sanitary latrine reduced occurrence of diarrhoea (p=0.004) and fever (p=0.01) among under-five children.

Conclusion: Household water availability and use of sanitary latrine reduce sanitation related morbidity among children by improving handwashing practices of mothers.

Key words: Family characteristics; sanitation; handwashing.