Determinants of household sanitation in Uganda

Abstract

Access to sanitation is generally very crucial for household well-being globally and Uganda in particular. A great number of people in Uganda have no access to proper sanitation facilities. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify the determinants of sanitation among households in Uganda. A logistic regression model was fitted using secondary data from the UWEZO 2021 School and Household Survey data. The study findings indicated that the significant determinants of household sanitation were toilet category of having flush/pour toilets(p=0.000), pit latrines with slab (p=0.000), pit latrines without slab (p=0.000) and no toilet/latrine (p=0.000), household head’s level of education (p=0.000), whether water from the main source was typically available throughout each year(p=0.000) and main source of income for the household.(p=0.000). Furthermore, the majority of respondents (77.08%) had farming as their main source of income. The highest percentage of households (34.70%) had boreholes as their main source of water for the household currently available. Majority of respondents (75.44%) had water from the main source typically available throughout each year. Slightly more than half of the households (59.03%) had pit latrines without slab as their type of toilet/latrine. The average level of education for the households was primary. In this study, household head’s level of education, flush/pour toilet and availability of water from the main source were more likely to influence sanitation. No toilets/latrines were less likely to influence sanitation. Finally, households were recommended to go for higher levels of education as this educate them on the benefits of sanitation which will eventually improve their health and further their welfare. Flush/pour toilet were encouraged to be adopted because they allow people to dispose off their waste appropriately, preventing contamination of their environment and reducing risk to themselves and their neighbors. Households were encouraged to stop open defecation and establish a toilet/latrine. They were also encouraged to establish a main source of water that is available throughout each year in order to have more time for education and improve their literacy rates. Households were further encouraged to establish a reliable source of income as this enables the establishment of sanitation facilities like safe drinking water source that improve on household sanitation.