Tropical medicine & international health : TM & IH
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Trop. Med. Int. Health · Nov 2014
Comparative StudyThe geographic and demographic scope of shared sanitation: an analysis of national survey data from low- and middle-income countries.
A large and growing proportion of the world's population rely on shared sanitation facilities that have historically been excluded from international targets due to concerns about acceptability, hygiene and access. In connection with a proposed change in such policy, we undertook this study to describe the prevalence and scope of households that report relying on shared sanitation and to characterise them in terms of selected socio-economic and demographic covariates. ⋯ The determinants of shared sanitation identified from these data suggest potential confounders that may explain the apparent increased health risk from sharing and should be considered in any policy recommendation. Both geographic and demographic heterogeneity indicate the need for further research to support a change in policies.