Dataset Information

Optimizing household survey methods to monitor the Sustainable Development Goals targets 6.1 and 6.2 on drinking water, sanitation and hygiene: A mixed-methods field-test in Belize.

ABSTRACT: The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) require household survey programmes such as the UNICEF-supported Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) to enhance data collection to cover new indicators. This study aims to evaluated methods for assessing water quality, water availability, emptying of sanitation facilities, menstrual hygiene management and the acceptability of water quality testing in households which are key to monitoring SDG targets 6.1 and 6.2 on drinking Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and emerging issues.As part of a MICS field test, we interviewed 429 households and 267 women age 15-49 in Stann Creek, Belize in a split-sample experiment. In a concurrent qualitative component, we conducted focus groups with interviewers and cognitive interviews with respondents during and immediately following questionnaire administration in the field to explore their question comprehension and response processes.About 88% of respondents agreed to water quality testing but also desired test results, given the potential implications for their own health. Escherichia coli was present in 36% of drinking water collected at the source, and in 47% of samples consumed in the household. Both questions on water availability necessitated probing by interviewers. About one quarter of households reported emptying of pit latrines and septic tanks, though one-quarter could not provide an answer to the question. Asking questions on menstrual hygiene was acceptable to respondents, but required some clarification and probing.In the context of Belize, this study confirmed the feasibility of collecting information on the availability and quality of drinking water, emptying of sanitation facilities and menstrual hygiene in a multi-purpose household survey, indicating specific areas to improve question formulation and field protocols. Improvements have been incorporated into the latest round of MICS surveys which will be a major source of national data for monitoring of SDG targets for drinking water, sanitation and hygiene and emerging issues for WASH sector programming.

SUBMITTER: Khan SM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5720699 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Optimizing household survey methods to monitor the Sustainable Development Goals targets 6.1 and 6.2 on drinking water, sanitation and hygiene: A mixed-methods field-test in Belize.

Khan Shane M SM Bain Robert E S RES Lunze Karsten K Unalan Turgay T Beshanski-Pedersen Bo B Slaymaker Tom T Johnston Richard R Hancioglu Attila A

PloS one 20171207 12

<h4>Background</h4>The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) require household survey programmes such as the UNICEF-supported Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) to enhance data collection to cover new indicators. This study aims to evaluated methods for assessing water quality, water availability, emptying of sanitation facilities, menstrual hygiene management and the acceptability of water quality testing in households which are key to monitoring SDG targets 6.1 and 6.2 on drinking Water, ...[more]

PMID: 29216244

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Project description:MotivationSanitation and Water for All (SWA) is a global partnership addressing challenges to universal water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH) access. Shortly following adoption of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, the Research and Learning (R&L) constituency of SWA undertook a systematic study to determine global research priorities and learning needs.PurposeWe aimed to identify priority topics where improved knowledge would aid achievement of Goal 6, by developing a global WaSH research agenda, and to describe evidence-use challenges among WaSH professionals.Approach and methodsWe delivered a tailored, semi-structured electronic questionnaire to representatives from countries, R&L institutions, and other SWA partners (external support agencies, civil society, and private sector). The survey gathered views from 76 respondents working in an estimated 36 countries across all world regions. Data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively to identify patterns and themes.FindingsMost responses indicated lowered confidence on at least one Goal 6 target area, especially managing untreated wastewater and faecal sludge. Both brief and lengthy information formats were valued. WaSH information was perceived as conflicting or unreliable among non-R&L constituencies, suggesting differences in perceptions and information-seeking approaches. While the R&L constituency appeared saturated with learning and training opportunities, others perceived barriers to participating (e.g. not receiving notice or invitation). Research and other WaSH activities were frequently constrained by upward accountability to funders, while stakeholders were inconsistently included in research processes.Policy implicationsThis study offers insight into perceived research and decision challenges related to Goal 6 targets. It develops a unified research agenda focused on high priority topics, and recommends renewed attention to evidence synthesis, learning and implementation support, research engagement, and multisectoral coordination.

Project description:Child stunting and anemia are intractable public health problems in developing countries and have profound short- and long-term consequences. The Sanitation Hygiene Infant Nutrition Efficacy (SHINE) trial is motivated by the premise that environmental enteric dysfunction (EED) is a major underlying cause of both stunting and anemia, that chronic inflammation is the central characteristic of EED mediating these adverse effects, and that EED is primarily caused by high fecal ingestion due to living in conditions of poor water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). SHINE is a proof-of-concept, 2 × 2 factorial, cluster-randomized, community-based trial in 2 rural districts of Zimbabwe that will test the independent and combined effects of protecting babies from fecal ingestion (factor 1, operationalized through a WASH intervention) and optimizing nutritional adequacy of infant diet (factor 2, operationalized through an infant and young child feeding [IYCF] intervention) on length and hemoglobin at 18 months of age. Within SHINE we will measure 2 causal pathways. The program impact pathway comprises the series of processes and behaviors linking implementation of the interventions with the 2 child health primary outcomes; it will be modeled using measures of fidelity of intervention delivery and household uptake of promoted behaviors and practices. We will also measure a range of household and individual characteristics, social interactions, and maternal capabilities for childcare, which we hypothesize will explain heterogeneity along these pathways. The biomedical pathway comprises the infant biologic responses to the WASH and IYCF interventions that ultimately result in attained stature and hemoglobin concentration at 18 months of age; it will be elucidated by measuring biomarkers of intestinal structure and function (inflammation, regeneration, absorption, and permeability); microbial translocation; systemic inflammation; and hormonal determinants of growth and anemia among a subgroup of infants enrolled in an EED substudy. This article describes the rationale, design, and methods underlying the SHINE trial.NCT01824940.

Project description:BACKGROUND:Access to safe sanitation and the elimination of open defecation are pre-conditions for improved child health and nutrition and wider achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While Indonesia has a solid policy framework, the country ranks third globally in terms of numbers of people practicing open defecation. OBJECTIVES:Our aim was to assess the effectiveness of a five-year strategy to reduce open defecation through accelerating implementation of the national sanitation program across districts receiving variable levels of external support. METHODS:Among three provinces with poor sanitation program performance, districts were selected to receive one of three levels of external support. High intensity districts (n = 6) benefitted from enabling environment strengthening support including political and social mobilization, direct capacity development, and efforts to strengthen planning, budgeting, monitoring and supervision; learning districts (n = 16) benefitted from cross-district learning opportunities and political mobilization through provincial government advocacy efforts; and comparison districts (n = 58) were monitored under routine program conditions. Outcomes included open defecation free (ODF) status and new toilet facility construction and were assessed through village level monitoring systems across all districts. Negative binomial regression and multivariate analysis were used to assess associations between levels of intervention intensity and outcomes. FINDINGS:Among districts receiving high-intensity external support improvements in political commitment, planning, coordination, financing, monitoring and supervision were observed. Relative to comparison districts, high intensity districts were more likely to be ODF (aRR 4.65, CI 2.12-10.20) with greater increase in household toilet coverage (aRR 11.15 CI 1.04-119.82). Weaker non-significant associations with ODF were observed among learning districts relative to comparison districts. INTERPRETATION:Efforts to strengthen provincial and district government capacity to implement sanitation programming in Indonesia can yield substantial improvements in outcomes in a relatively short period of time.

Dataset Information

Optimizing household survey methods to monitor the Sustainable Development Goals targets 6.1 and 6.2 on drinking water, sanitation and hygiene: A mixed-methods field-test in Belize.

Publications

Optimizing household survey methods to monitor the Sustainable Development Goals targets 6.1 and 6.2 on drinking water, sanitation and hygiene: A mixed-methods field-test in Belize.

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