Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Practices in Urban Slums of Eastern India

BACKGROUND: The Sustainable Development Goals identified universal access to water and sanitation facilities as key components for improving health. We assessed water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) practices and associated determinants among residents of urban slums in Kolkata, India. METHODS: Information on WASH practices was collected in 2 surveys (2018 and 2019) from participants of a prospective enteric fever surveillance conducted in 2 municipal wards of Kolkata. A composite WASH practice score was computed and a hierarchical stepwise multiple linear regression model constructed to identify key determinants of improved WASH score. RESULTS: Over 90% of households had access to piped water; 6% reported access to continuous supply. Adult women (61% in 2018; 45% in 2019) spent 20 minutes daily to fetch water. Access to improved latrines was almost universal, although 80% used shared facilities. Unhealthy disposal of children’s stools was reported in both rounds. Food hygiene practices were high, with most (>90%) washing uncooked items before eating; frequent consumption of street food items was reported. CONCLUSIONS: The study area reported high WASH coverage. Unhygienic behavioral patterns predisposing to food- or water-borne diseases were also noted. Awareness building and sustainable community mobilization for food hygiene needs to be emphasized to ensure community well-being.