Health and household access to water and sanitation: a global analysis and systematic literature review

Millennium Development Goal target 7c sought to improve global access to safe water and sanitation, but different benchmarks were used to monitor "improved" access; the water benchmark is community-level access, and for sanitation it is household-level. Household-level sanitation is considered safer than shared sanitation, yet the relative health impacts of access to shared water sources and water supplies on premises have not been established. An analysis evaluated global progress towards water and sanitation targets under alternative benchmarks, and a systematic literature review was conducted to compare the relative health impacts of using shared water sources and at-house water supplies. Results indicate that water and sanitation have similar coverage deficits for household-level access and that individuals with at-house water supplies may experience lower odds of water-washed diseases and improved height outcomes. Promoting at-house water supplies through policy and development goals may realize potential health gains, particularly in underserved rural areas.Master of Science in Public Healt