An assessment of availability of handwashing facilities in households from four east african countries

The World Health Organization provides guidelines on handwashing as part of the global campaign towards achieving proper hygiene. In East Africa, cholera and diarrhoea outbreaks and, most recently, COVID-19 remain a threat to public health – calling for the promotion of handwashing to prevent infection. Using data from demographic and health surveys in four East African countries (Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda), we estimate the prevalence and identify the predictors of the availability of handwashing facilities in households. Findings indicate that the presence of a handwashing facility is not universal in the four countries: Kenya (66.4%), Rwanda (76.4%), Tanzania (80.7%) and Uganda (59.2%). Results from the pooled binary logistic regression model indicate that age, sex and education of the household head, type of place of residence, number of children, and household wealth are strong predictors of having handwashing facilities in all countries. However, the likelihood of having a handwashing facility in Uganda is lower than other countries. This study provides a rich understanding of the factors that explain the availability of handwashing facilities. Findings indicate how prepared the four countries are in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic – and can guide the policy direction in the prevention of infection.