Access to and use of improved water and sanitation facilities in Sub-Saharan Africa: Analysis of Demographic and Health Survey Data from 30 countries
4 affiliations
- 1Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
- 2Department of Social and Behavioral Change, School of Public Health, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana
- 3Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
- 4Department of Global Health, School of Public Health, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana
Abstract
Access to and use of improved water sources and sanitation facilities in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) remains a significant public health concern, with notable variations across countries. Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals related to water and sanitation require evidence on current levels of access and factors that shape them. This study examined household access to and use of improved water sources and sanitation facilities, as well as the determinants of their use in SSA. Demographic and Health Survey data from 465,208 households across 30 SSA countries conducted between 2014 and 2025 was used for this study. Descriptive analyses examined access levels. Multivariable Poisson regression with robust variance was used to identify the factors associated with reported use. Overall, 76.3% of households had access to and use of improved water sources, 56.7% had access to improved toilets, and 35.4% had access to basic sanitation facilities (unshared improved toilet facilities), with wide variations across countries. Significant factors associated with access and use of improved toilet and sanitation facilities included wealth and residence, while educational attainment was significantly associated with access to and use of improved water sources. The findings highlight that disparities in access to water and sanitation exist in the SSA region, with household wealth, place of residence, and education significantly associated with households’ access and use of improved water sources and sanitation facilities. Governments in SSA should prioritize improving access to water and sanitation, particularly in underserved areas. Additionally, targeted strategies are needed to address disparities driven by socioeconomic and demographic factors.
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BibTeX
@article{ndago2026access,
title = {{Access to and use of improved water and sanitation facilities in Sub-Saharan Africa: Analysis of Demographic and Health Survey Data from 30 countries}},
author = {Joyce Aputere Ndago and Paul Adjorlolo and Martin Nyaaba Adokiya and Micheal Boah},
journal = {PLOS Global Public Health},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1371/journal.pgph.0006195},
url = {https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0006195},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Access to and use of improved water and sanitation facilities in Sub-Saharan Africa: Analysis of Demographic and Health Survey Data from 30 countries
AU - Joyce Aputere Ndago
AU - Paul Adjorlolo
AU - Martin Nyaaba Adokiya
AU - Micheal Boah
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/06
JO - PLOS Global Public Health
DO - 10.1371/journal.pgph.0006195
UR - https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0006195
AB - Access to and use of improved water sources and sanitation facilities in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) remains a significant public health concern, with notable variations across countries. Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals related to water and sanitation require evidence on current levels of access and factors that shape them. This study examined household access to and use of improved water sources and sanitation facilities, as well as the determinants of their use in SSA. Demographic and Health Survey data from 465,208 households across 30 SSA countries conducted between 2014 and 2025 was used for this study. Descriptive analyses examined access levels. Multivariable Poisson regression with robust variance was used to identify the factors associated with reported use. Overall, 76.3% of households had access to and use of improved water sources, 56.7% had access to improved toilets, and 35.4% had access to basic sanitation facilities (unshared improved toilet facilities), with wide variations across countries. Significant factors associated with access and use of improved toilet and sanitation facilities included wealth and residence, while educational attainment was significantly associated with access to and use of improved water sources. The findings highlight that disparities in access to water and sanitation exist in the SSA region, with household wealth, place of residence, and education significantly associated with households’ access and use of improved water sources and sanitation facilities. Governments in SSA should prioritize improving access to water and sanitation, particularly in underserved areas. Additionally, targeted strategies are needed to address disparities driven by socioeconomic and demographic factors.
SN - 2767-3375
ER -