Correlation between general health knowledge and sanitation improvements: evidence from rural China

Abstract

A lack of access to sanitation not only has negative effects on the environment but also results in increased prevalence of disease and adversely affects health outcomes. This paper uses data from a survey in Liaoning Province in China to examine the relationship between general health knowledge and improved sanitation facility access. It also explores the effects of work experience and government subsidies on toilet renovation. Using Logit Regression and Duration Analysis, our results show that general health knowledge had a significant positive correlation with flush toilet use and a significant negative correlation with the average duration of traditional latrine pits use. The results of heterogeneity analysis show that work experience in cities can expand farmers’ horizons, which increases their general health knowledge. However, per capita government subsidies are insufficient and result in no significant impact on general health knowledge. This paper also discusses certain restrictions that prevent general health knowledge from having an effect on toilet renovation. The article finally proposes policy recommendations for rural areas in China to better promote the rural toilet revolution and our results can also provide useful guidelines for drawing up relevant policies in other developing countries.