Assessment of the factors associated with proper use of sanitation facilities in Nyakagyera Parish, Kyanamira Sub County, Kabale District

Abstract

Background Diarrheal diseases such as cholera, dysentery, typhoid, resulting from poor sanitation contribute to a large burden of disease in developing countries. Safe disposal of human waste is a principal way of breaking the fecal-oral transmission of infections; it can decrease pollution by reducing the waste load discharged into water bodies and soils. However, a large number of populations have limited access to improved sanitation facilities which would hygienically separate human excreta from human contact thus the increased prevalence of sanitation-related diseases. Objective The main goal of this study was to assess the proper use of sanitation facilities and associated factors among households in Nyakagyera parish, Kyanamira Sub County, Kabale district. Methodology The study was cross-sectional in design and it employed quantitative data collection techniques to collect information from a representative sample of 246 respondents from 10 randomly selected villages in Nyakagyera parish. Households were the sampling units with household heads being the respondents. The analysis was performed using STATA version 13 (StataCorp, Texas). Descriptive statistics such as proportions and frequencies were used to present data on the proper use of sanitation facilities. Modified Poisson regression was used to obtain prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the factors associated with the proper use of sanitation facilities. Results The study revealed that only 45.38 % (108/246) of the household sanitation facilities were properly used. Presence of hand washing facility at the latrine (Adjusted PR=1.36, CI=1.02-1.80, P-value=0.034) and absence of odor in the latrine (Adjusted PR=1.46, CI=1.07-1.99, P-value=0.016) were significantly associated to proper use of sanitation facilities. Conclusion Proper latrine use in Nyakagyera parish was low among household latrines. The presence of hand washing facility at the latrine and absence of odor in the latrine were significantly associated with proper latrine use. Therefore, the District Health Officer together with community leaders and VHTs should sensitize people on the proper use of sanitation facilities and encourage them to have hand washing facilities and keep their latrines clean in their sanitation interventions.