Domestic Water Sourcing and the Risk of Diarrhea: A Cross-Sectional Survey of a Peri-Urban Community in Jos, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examine the associations between domestic water sourcing practice and the risk of developing diarrhea. A total of 200 households were studied over an eight week period spanning from 4th June to 31st July 2005 using an interviewer administered questionnaires. Most of the household (80%)were seen to source domestic water from the municipal pipe-borne water supply, while only 5% source water from their own dug-in well only 27% of the households reported diarrhea in their household in the last six month. The diarrhea was bivariate association with the number of children in the household, the educational level of the household head, and income of household head. No association was found between diarrhea and age of household head. High premium should be placed on improving access to water and improved household hygiene as a way of helping to curb diarrhea.