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Indicators for Monitoring Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene: A Systematic Review of Indicator Selection Methods

Author

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  • Stefanie Schwemlein

    (Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA)

  • Ryan Cronk

    (Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA)

  • Jamie Bartram

    (Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA)

Abstract

Monitoring water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH) is important to track progress, improve accountability, and demonstrate impacts of efforts to improve conditions and services, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Indicator selection methods enable robust monitoring of WaSH projects and conditions. However, selection methods are not always used and there are no commonly-used methods for selecting WaSH indicators. To address this gap, we conducted a systematic review of indicator selection methods used in WaSH-related fields. We present a summary of indicator selection methods for environment, international development, and water. We identified six methodological stages for selecting indicators for WaSH: define the purpose and scope; select a conceptual framework; search for candidate indicators; determine selection criteria; score indicators against criteria; and select a final suite of indicators. This summary of indicator selection methods provides a foundation for the critical assessment of existing methods. It can be used to inform future efforts to construct indicator sets in WaSH and related fields.

Suggested Citation

  • Stefanie Schwemlein & Ryan Cronk & Jamie Bartram, 2016. "Indicators for Monitoring Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene: A Systematic Review of Indicator Selection Methods," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-15, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:13:y:2016:i:3:p:333-:d:65986
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jamie Bartram & Clarissa Brocklehurst & Michael B. Fisher & Rolf Luyendijk & Rifat Hossain & Tessa Wardlaw & Bruce Gordon, 2014. "Global Monitoring of Water Supply and Sanitation: History, Methods and Future Challenges," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-29, August.
    2. Ling-Zhong Lin & Chi-Fang Lu, 2013. "Fuzzy Group Decision-Making in the Measurement of Ecotourism Sustainability Potential," Group Decision and Negotiation, Springer, vol. 22(6), pages 1051-1079, November.
    3. Kurka, Thomas, 2013. "Application of the analytic hierarchy process to evaluate the regional sustainability of bioenergy developments," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 393-402.
    4. Robert Bain & Ryan Cronk & Jim Wright & Hong Yang & Tom Slaymaker & Jamie Bartram, 2014. "Fecal Contamination of Drinking-Water in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(5), pages 1-23, May.
    5. Michela Nardo & Michaela Saisana & Andrea Saltelli & Stefano Tarantola & Anders Hoffman & Enrico Giovannini, 2005. "Handbook on Constructing Composite Indicators: Methodology and User Guide," OECD Statistics Working Papers 2005/3, OECD Publishing.
    6. Linda Bobbitt & Sheridan Green & Leanne Candura & George Morgan, 2005. "The Development of A County Level Index Of Well-Being," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 73(1), pages 19-42, August.
    7. Jeanne Luh & Ryan Cronk & Jamie Bartram, 2016. "Assessing Progress towards Public Health, Human Rights, and International Development Goals Using Frontier Analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(1), pages 1-16, January.
    8. Tania Jordanova & Ryan Cronk & Wanda Obando & Octavio Zeledon Medina & Rinko Kinoshita & Jamie Bartram, 2015. "Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene in Schools in Low Socio-Economic Regions in Nicaragua: A Cross-Sectional Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-21, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Richard Filčák & Daniel Škobla, 2021. "Sanitation Infrastructure at the Systemic Edge: Segregated Roma Settlements and Multiple Health Risks in Slovakia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-11, June.
    2. Shalik Ram Dhital & Catherine Chojenta & Tiffany-Jane Evans & Tri Dev Acharya & Deborah Loxton, 2022. "Prevalence and Correlates of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) and Spatial Distribution of Unimproved WASH in Nepal," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-16, March.
    3. Fathim Rashna Kallingal & Mohammed Firoz C, 2022. "Developing a methodological framework for capturing regional disparities in social development," Regional Science Policy & Practice, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 14(5), pages 1085-1112, October.

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