Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) practices of mothers and the health status of under-five children: a study from Rural Nayagarh, Odisha

Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) practices of mothers with under-five children in rural pockets of the Nayagarh district, Odisha and examine how those practices are associated with the health status of children. A cross-sectional household survey was carried out with 370 participants having under-five children in rural pockets of the Nayagarh district, Odisha. A multistage sampling strategy was adopted. Participants were interviewed using a pre-tested structured schedule. Household information was analysed using descriptive statistics; logistic regression models were used to determine the association between mothers’ handwashing practices and the health status of their under-five children. Nearly 74.9% of the households in the sample earned less than 40,000 Indian rupees ($481) annually. Nearly 73% of mothers threw the childrens’ faecal waste into drains and open garbage. Diarrhoea was strongly associated with mothers who did not encourage their children to wash their hands (p ¼ 0.007). The frequency of mothers’ handwashing before feeding was associated with childrens’ episodes of fever, common cold, and cough (p ¼ 0.045). A set of targeted interventions, such as health education and socio-behavioural changes, is needed to address significant WASH factors associated with the health of under-five children in rural areas.