Peer-reviewed article
Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene: Linkages with Stunting in Rural Ethiopia
Corina Shika Kwami, Samuel Godfrey, Hippolyte Gavilan, Monica Lakhanpaul, Priti Parikh ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This research examines how water, sanitation, and hygiene practices relate to stunting in children under five in rural Ethiopia. Using data from 3,200 households across four Ethiopian regions, the study found a 47.5% stunting rate and explored connections between WASH factors, handwashing behaviour, and drinking water access. The findings recommend improving handwashing practices and clean water access, particularly for mothers and young children, as early interventions are most effective for long-term health outcomes.
Key points
- The average stunting rate in the sample is 47.5% among children under five
- The study examined demographic factors, social behaviours, handwashing practices, and drinking water facilities as related to stunting
- Higher stunting rates were found with increasing age of children, indicating the need for continued interventions
- The research recommends efforts to improve handwashing behaviour, with a focus on access to clean water
- Early interventions to improve nutrition and WASH behaviours are most effective for promoting long-term health outcomes
Limitations
This is a cross-sectional baseline study that examines associations rather than causal relationships between WASH factors and stunting. The document does not provide details on specific findings about which WASH factors had the strongest links to stunting, limiting understanding of intervention priorities.
Abstract
Stunting is a global burden affecting nearly 160 million children younger than five years of age. Whilst the linkages between nutrition and stunting are well recognized, there is a need to explore environmental factors such as water and sanitation, which may influence feeding practices and result in potential infection pathways. This paper explores the linkages between stunting and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) factors in Ethiopia, which is a relatively understudied context. The research draws upon baseline data for children under the age of five from 3200 households across four regions in Ethiopia as part of a wider study and integrated program led by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). Using World Health Organization (WHO) z-scoring, the average stunting rate in the sample is 47.5%. This paper also takes into account demographic and social behavioural factors such as the age, gender of children, and gender of the primary caregiver, in addition to handwashing behaviour and drinking water facilities. The evidence recommends efforts to improve handwashing behaviour for mothers and children with a focus on access to clean water. Higher stunting rates with an increase in the age of children highlight the need for continued interventions, as efforts to improve nutrition and WASH behaviours are most effective early on in promoting long-term health outcomes for children.