Measuring open defecation in India using survey questions: evidence from a randomised survey experiment.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To investigate differences in reported open defecation between a question about latrine use or open defecation for every household member and a household-level question.

Setting

Rural India is home to most of the world's open defecation. India's Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) 2015-2016 estimates that 54% of households in rural India defecate in the open. This measure is based on a question asking about the behaviour of all household members in one question. Yet, studies in rural India find substantial open defecation among individuals living in households with latrines, suggesting that household-level questions underestimate true open defecation.

Participants

In 2018, we randomly assigned latrine-owning households in rural parts of four Indian states t

SUBMITTER: Vyas S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6773353 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature