Assessment of the factors associated with status of water and sanitation among households in slums of Bwaise

Abstract

This study assessed factors that are significantly associated with the status of water and sanitation in Bwaise slums. The study used a cross-sectional research design where a sample of 100 households participated in the study. The collected data was entered in Epi-data and later exported in STATA for analysis at both univariate and bivariate levels. Results showed that 53% of the households had unimproved water status that is they either got their water from Boreholes or springs where on average it took them 45 munities and mainly children under 15 years were burden for fetching water. Only 42% treated their water before drinking by mainly boiling it. On the aspect of sanitation status, 55% of the household had unimproved status that is they were either using a pit latrine with only a slap or didn't have any toilet/latrine facility, majority (57%) shared the facility and only 16% had a proper hand washing facility that is one with water and soap. A considerate percentage (23%) of the households reported having had a case of diarrheal disease in the previous one month. Chi-square results showed that marital status, religion, education level, marital status, occupation of the household head and type of the housing unit were significantly associated with the status of drinking water and sanitation status of the household sanitation status of the respondent's households. At multivariate, binary logistic regression results showed that households whose heads had attained at least secondary education, those with semi-detached housing unit and those that were never married, were more likely to have improved water status and sanitation status. The researcher recommends government to extend the distribution of piped water in Bwaise in order to improve the status of drinking water among individuals living the area. More so, there is for government and other stake holders to sensitize individuals in Bwaise slums and other slums around Kampala city about better practices of water drinking water and sanitation especially treating water to make it safe for drinking and use handing washing facility after visiting the toilet/latrine facility.