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A micro-based approach to evaluate the effect of water supply on health in Uganda

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  • Raymond Frempong
  • Lucas Kitzmüller
  • David Stadelman

Abstract

This paper investigates the impact of improved water provision on individual health outcomes in rural Uganda. We merge household and individual panel datasets with sub-county level administrative data on water supply projects. Our approach allows us to estimate fixed-effect panel data models which use temporal and spatial variation at the sub-county level as identifying variation. We find evidence of small effects from more installations of improved water supply on its water usage, health outcomes of household members, and water collection times. Increasing the sub-county rate of improved water sources per capita leads to a reduction in the likelihood of individuals suffering from symptoms of illness associated with inadequate water supply. We argue that our micro-based approach provides a more externally-valid and highly cost-effective means of evaluating scalable development projects.

Suggested Citation

  • Raymond Frempong & Lucas Kitzmüller & David Stadelman, 2019. "A micro-based approach to evaluate the effect of water supply on health in Uganda," CREMA Working Paper Series 2019-07, Center for Research in Economics, Management and the Arts (CREMA).
    • Handle: RePEc:cra:wpaper:2019-07
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    2. Baulia, Susmita, 2024. "Is household shock a boon or bane to the utilisation of preventive healthcare for children? Evidence from Uganda," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).

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    JEL classification:

    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being

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