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Water cost and availability: Key determinants of family hygiene in a Peruvian shantytown

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  • Gilman, R.H.
  • Marquis, G.S.
  • Ventura, G.
  • Campos, M.
  • Spira, W.
  • Diaz, F.

Abstract

Objectives. This study was conducted to determine whether poor hygiene practices are owing to difficulty in getting enough water and/or to ignorance of sanitary principles. Methods. In a water-scarce shantytown in Lima, Peru, we observed in 12-hour periods over 3 consecutive days the amount of water and soap used for personal and domestic activities in 53 families and the frequency with which direct fecal contamination of hands was interrupted by washing. We also surveyed women in a similar shantytown concerning their knowledge of hygiene to ascertain whether noncompliance was owing to ignorance. Results. Three hundred fecal contamination events were registered, of which only 38 (13%) were interrupted by hand washing within 15 minutes. The mean 12-hour per capita amount of water and soap used by the families was low. More than 80% of the water stored by these families had fecal coliforms. Yet the level of knowledge concerning the importance of hand washing and other hygienic practices was high. Conclusions. In water-scarce areas, sanitary education programs probably will not change hygiene practices. In these areas, an adequate supply of water is essential for good hygiene.

Suggested Citation

  • Gilman, R.H. & Marquis, G.S. & Ventura, G. & Campos, M. & Spira, W. & Diaz, F., 1993. "Water cost and availability: Key determinants of family hygiene in a Peruvian shantytown," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 83(11), pages 1554-1558.
    • Handle: RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:1993:83:11:1554-1558_7
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    Cited by:

    1. Usman, Muhammed Abdella & Gerber, Nicolas & Pangaribowo, Evita Hanie, 2016. "Determinants of Household Drinking Water Quality in Rural Ethiopia," Discussion Papers 241763, University of Bonn, Center for Development Research (ZEF).
    2. Mangyo, Eiji, 2008. "The effect of water accessibility on child health in China," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 27(5), pages 1343-1356, September.
    3. Shannon M. McGinnis & Thomas McKeon & Richa Desai & Akudo Ejelonu & Stanley Laskowski & Heather M. Murphy, 2017. "A Systematic Review: Costing and Financing of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) in Schools," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-28, April.
    4. Jie Dong & Kuan Zhang & Xiguo Yin & Houjian Li & Mansoor Ahmed Koondhar, 2021. "Does piped water improve adolescent health? Empirical evidence from rural China," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(3), pages 1601-1628, August.
    5. Dinabandhu Mondal, 2022. "Access to Latrine Facilities and Associated Factors in India: An Empirical and Spatial Analysis," Indian Journal of Human Development, , vol. 16(3), pages 528-547, December.
    6. Georgia L. Kayser & Patrick Moriarty & Catarina Fonseca & Jamie Bartram, 2013. "Domestic Water Service Delivery Indicators and Frameworks for Monitoring, Evaluation, Policy and Planning: A Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-24, October.
    7. Usman, Muhammed Abdella & Gerber, Nicolas & von Braun, Joachim, 2016. "The Impact of Drinking Water Quality and Sanitation Behavior on Child Health: Evidence from Rural Ethiopia," Discussion Papers 241764, University of Bonn, Center for Development Research (ZEF).

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