Revisiting the Impact of Clean Water and Improved Sanitation on Child Mortality: Implications for Sustainable Development Goals

Abstract

Using Demographic and Health Surveys, this study examined the impact of clean water and improved sanitation on child morality in five South Asian countries. South Asia is the region with the second most public health crises due to the utilization of unsafe water and sanitation, only second to Sub-Saharan Africa. Logistic regression models suggest that access to improved water and sanitation is significantly associated with a lower probability of child mortality, especially during the post-neonatal period. Although increased parental educational attainment and household wealth reduce the risk of child mortality, the combined household wealth and place of residence variable revealed the higher risk of mortality for children living in urban areas than rural areas. These findings emphasize the importance of the access to clean water and improved sanitation to reduce the number of children dying due to water-related diseases. Additionally, they suggest the need for additional research on the contribution of clean water and improved sanitation to achieve the global goals of child mortality reduction, especially the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.