How can diarrhea be prevented by sanitation?

Key measures to prevent diarrhoea include: access to safe drinking-water. use of improved sanitation. hand washing with soap. exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life. good personal and food hygiene. health education about how infections spread. rotavirus vaccination. Mar 7, 2024

What hygiene intervention are effective for preventing diarrhea in children?

These are: Access to safe drinking water (e.g. water safety planning (the management of water from the source to tap); household water treatment and safe storage) Access to improved sanitation facilities. Hand washing with soap at critical times (e.g. after toilet use and before the preparation of food)

What are 3 strategies for preventing diarrhoea in the context of preparing food?

Preventing food poisoning Hands should be washed with hot soapy water before eating, preparing food and after using the toilet. Raw and cooked foods should not be kept together in the refrigerator. All foods should be properly refrigerated as advised. Foods should be completely cooked before consumption. More items...

Water, sanitation and hygiene interventions to prevent diarrhoea (2024)

All interventions

Water, sanitation and hygiene interventions to prevent diarrhoea

Intervention | Last updated: 9 August 2023

Diarrhoea remains a leading cause of death globally among children under five years of age. Diarrhoea contributes to nutritional deficiencies, reduced resistance to infections and impaired growth and development. Severe diarrhoea leads to fluid loss, and may be life-threatening, particularly in young children and people who are already malnourished or have impaired immunity.

Diarrhoea mostly results from lack of safe drinking-water, adequate sanitation and hygiene. A number of interventions are effective in preventing diarrhoeal diseases, thereby positively impacting the nutritional status of those most vulnerable. These are:

Access to safe drinking water (e.g. water safety planning (the management of water from the source to tap); household water treatment and safe storage)
Access to improved sanitation facilities
Hand washing with soap at critical times (e.g. after toilet use and before the preparation of food)

Hygiene promotion, along with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation should be accessible by all.

WHO Recommendations

Guidance information can be found in the guidelines and guidance documents below.

Guidelines and guidance documents Learn More

GRC-approved guidelines

Guidelines on sanitation and health

Evidence

Systematic reviews used to develop the guidelines

Hand washing promotion for preventing diarrhoea

Ejemot-Nwadiaro RI, Ehiri JE, Arikpo D, Meremikwu MM, Critchley JA. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2015; Issue 9. Art. No.: CD004265.

Summary of this review

Exploring the relationship between sanitation and mental and social well-being: A systematic review and qualitative synthesis

Sclar GD, Penakalapati G, Caruso BA, Rehfuess EA, Garn JV, Alexander KT, et al.Soc Sci Med. 2018;217:121-134.

The Impact of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Interventions on the Health and WellBeing of People Living With HIV: A Systematic Review

Related Cochrane reviews

Interventions to improve water quality for preventing diarrhoea

Clasen TF, Alexander KT, Sinclair D, Boisson S, Peletz R, Chang HH, et al. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2015, Issue 10. Art. No.: CD004794.

Summary of this review

Interventions to improve water quality and supply, sanitation and hygiene practices, and their effects on the nutritional status of children

Other related systematic reviews

Effectiveness and sustainability of water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions in combating diarrhoea

Waddington H & Snilstveit B. Journal of Development Effectiveness. 2009; Vol.1 No3:295-335.

Impact of drinking water, sanitation and handwashing with soap on childhood diarrhoeal disease: updated meta‐analysis and meta‐regression

Wolf J, Hunter PR, Freeman MC, Cumming O, Clasen T, Bartram J, et al.Trop Med Int Health. 2018;23(5):508-525.

Water, sanitation and hygiene for the prevention of diarrhoea

Cairncross S, Hunt C, Boisson S, Bostoen K, Curtis V, Fung ICH and Schmidt WP. International Journal of Epidemiology. 2010; 39 suppl 1:i193-i205.

Interventions to improve water quality for preventing diarrhoea: systematic review and meta-analysis

Clasen T, Schmidt WP, Rabie T, Roberts I, Cairncross S. BMJ. 2007; 334(7597):782.

Effect of hand hygiene on infectious disease risk in the community setting: a meta-analysis

Aiello AE, Coulborn RM, Perez V, and Larson EL. American Journal of Public Health. 2008; 98(8):1372–1381.

Water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions to reduce diarrhoea in less developed countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Fewtrell l, Kaufmann RB, Kay D, Enanoria W, Haller L, Colford JM Jr . The Lancet Infectious Diseases. 2005; Vol5, Issue1:42-52.

Cost-effectiveness Learn More

Systematic reviews

The impact of water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions on the health and well-being of people living with HIV: a systematic review

Yates T, Lantagne D, Mintz E, Quick R.J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2015; 68 Suppl 3:S318-30.

Cost-effectiveness analyses

Cost-effectiveness of oral cholera vaccine in a stable refugee population at risk for epidemic cholera and in a population with endemic cholera

Murray J, McFarland DA, Waldman RJ.Bull World Health Organ. 1998; 76(4):343-52.

The cost-effectiveness of forty health interventions in Guinea

Jha P, Bangoura O, Ranson K.Health Policy Plan. 1998; 13(3):249-62.

Cost-benefit comparisons of investments in improved water supply and cholera vaccination programs

Jeuland M, Whittington D.Vaccine. 2009; 27(23):3109-20.

Provision of bednets and water filters to delay HIV-1 progression: cost-effectiveness analysis of a Kenyan multisite study

Kern E, Verguet S, Yuhas K, Odhiambo FH, Kahn JG, Walson J.Trop Med Int Health. 2013; 18(8):916-24.

Cost-effectiveness of water quality interventions for preventing diarrhoeal disease in developing countries

Clasen T, Haller L, Walker D, Bartram J, Cairncross S.J Water Health. 2007; 5(4):599-608.

A reassessment of the cost-effectiveness of water and sanitation interventions in programmes for controlling childhood diarrhoea

Varley RC, Tarvid J, Chao DN.Bull World Health Organ. 1998; 76(6):617-31.

Integrated HIV testing, malaria, and diarrhea prevention campaign in Kenya: modeled health impact and cost-effectiveness

Kahn JG, Muraguri N, Harris B, Lugada E, Clasen T, Grabowsky M, et al.PLoS One. 2012; 7(2):e31316.

Cost-effectiveness and benefit–cost analyses of some water interventions in Nigeria: the case of Bauchi State

Uneze E, Tajudeen I, Iweala O.Cost-effectiveness and benefit–cost analyses of some water interventions in Nigeria: the case of Bauchi State. Journal of Development Effectiveness. 2012; 4(4):497-514.

Saving a Life-Year and Reaching MDG 4 with Investments in Water and Sanitation: A Cost-Effective Policy?

Günther I, Fink G.Eur J Dev Res. 2013; 25(1):129–153.

Cost-effectiveness of home-based chlorination and safe water storage in reducing diarrhea among HIV-affected households in rural Uganda

Shrestha RK, Marseille E, Kahn JG, Lule JR, Pitter C, Blandford JM, et al.Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2006; 74(5):884-90.

Is hygiene promotion cost-effective? A case study in Burkina Faso

Borghi J, Guinness L, Ouedraogo J, Curtis V.Trop Med Int Health. 2002; 7(11):960-9.

Global costs and benefits of reaching universal coverage of sanitation and drinking-water supply

Hutton G.J Water Health. 2013; 11(1):1-12.

Category 2 intervention

Systematic review(s) have been conducted but no recent guidelines yet available that have been approved by the WHO Guidelines Review Committee

Learn More

Biological, behavioural and contextual rationale

Water, sanitation and hygiene interventions and the prevention of diarrhoea