Overview and Meta-Analysis of Global Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Impact Evaluations
This paper presents an overview and meta-analysis of the effects of water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions around the world. It is based on 136 impact evaluations (randomized and quasi-experimental studies) that explore the effects of water,...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Working Paper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
World Bank, Washington, DC
2018
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/480101526411604321/Overview-and-meta-analysis-of-global-water-sanitation-and-hygiene-WASH-impact-evaluations http://hdl.handle.net/10986/29856 |
| Summary: | This paper presents an overview and
meta-analysis of the effects of water, sanitation, and
hygiene interventions around the world. It is based on 136
impact evaluations (randomized and quasi-experimental
studies) that explore the effects of water, sanitation, and
hygiene interventions on health and non-health outcomes,
ranging from behavior change -- such as the adoption of
water treatment -- to school attendance rates, to a
reduction in diarrhea. The selected impact evaluations were
divided into five groups, and meta-regressions with fixed
effects (at the regional level) and random effects were
performed, controlling for each study's characteristics
(implementing organization, sample sizes, type of
publication, number of publication views, and so forth). All
results are reported as changes in odds ratios, with respect
to the standard deviation of reported effects. Water,
sanitation, and hygiene interventions were found to increase
the likelihood of behavior changes and the adoption of new
hygiene practices by 17 percent. The smallest effects were
observed from water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions
aimed at reducing the rates of child mortality and
non-diarrheal disease. Water, sanitation, and hygiene
interventions implemented in schools showed statistically
significant results in reducing school absenteeism and
dropouts. Similarly, the results showed a statistically
significant aggregate likelihood of increased access to safe
water and improved water quality, as well as increased water
treatment options -- a difference of one-fifth with respect
to the standard deviation of the average effect size
reported. Finally, the results showed that water,
sanitation, and hygiene interventions reduced the likelihood
of the incidence of diarrheal and enteric disease by 13
percent, which is consistent with findings in other
meta-analyses of the same subject. |
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