The effect of latrine coverage on the prevalence of diarrhoea in children under 5 years of age

An exhaustive survey carried out in 2011 in 167 villages in 8 rural communes (Kebele) in southern Ethiopia – representing a total population of 41,907 people – compared latrine coverage within communities and the instantaneous prevalence of diarrhoea in children under the age of 5, and showed that it is only when the rate of use is close to 75-80% that significant effects on the prevalence of diarrhoea can be observed.

This indicates that it is necessary to think in terms of total sanitation at community level and to stop open defecation.

The following sheet summarises these results, while the appendix details the survey protocol and data processing methodology.

Documents produced by François Bourgois and Philippe Redon, Inter Aide sector managers.

A summary in French is available.