Unsafe disposal of faeces and its correlates among children under three years in Eswatini

• Published in: SAJCH : the South African journal of child health Vol. 14; no. 4; p. 217
• Main Authors: Simelane, M S, Chemhaka, G B, Maphosa, T, Zwane, E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Health & Medical Publishing Group 14.12.2020
• Subjects: Analysis; Children; Developing countries; Disease transmission; Surveys; Eswatini; India
• ISSN: 1994-3032; 1999-7671
• DOI: 10.7196/SAJCH.2020.v14i4.01726

Background. It has long been established that human excreta contain over 50 pathogens that are transmitted via the faecal route, yet the common practice of unsafe disposal of children's faeces still persists in developing countries. Objective. To identify the factors associated with unsafe disposal of children's faeces among children under three years of age in Eswatini. Methods. The study was based on combined data for the 2010 and 2014 Eswatini Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys, from which 2 765 children aged less than three years were included in the analysis. The analysis was based on logistic regression using weighted survey data. Results. Overall, 41.8% of the childrens' faeces were disposed of unsafely. In the final multivariable logistic regression analysis, the odds of unsafe disposal of children's faeces were lower for households whose children were aged 12 months and older, compared with households whose children were under six months. Households with a pit latrine were less likely to dispose of child faeces unsafely, while the practice of unsafe disposal of children's faeces was more common in households with no toilet facility compared with those from households with a flush toilet. The practice of unsafe disposal of children's faeces was more common in urban areas than in rural areas. Regionally, lower odds of unsafe disposal of children's faeces were observed among households from the Manzini and Shiselweni regions, compared with those from the Lubombo region. Conclusion. The study demonstrated that child age, toilet facilities, place of residence, and region of residence were associated with unsafe disposal of children's faeces.