biostudies-literatureUnknown5(12)Caruso BA1.8 billion people live in households that collect water from sources off household premises, creating burdens that disproportionately affect women. A current and comprehensive investigation of women's water collection experiences is needed to understand their burden of this labor. This study used mixed methods, including (a) go-along, in-depth interviews (IDIs), (b) semi-structured observation, (c) activity-tracking smart watches, and (d) scales, to (1) understand women's practices, perspectives, and experiences going to water sources; (2) determine actual water collection time, distance, caloric expenditure, total elevation ascended, weight carried, and water volume collected; and (3) assess alignment of women's estimated and actual water journey times. Ninety-four women participated acrPLOS global public healthe0004355https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12711095biostudies-literatureWomen's experiences collecting and accessing water in Guatemala, Honduras, Kenya, and Zimbabwe: A mixed-methods investigation.PMC12711095Onyango ROWhite JPatrick MMaworera MCaruso BAMink TMwangi PZamora ALemus Chavez JOgutu EDawkins CRuto PDamson MNohemi Irias JKoome PDaniel Sic CAntonio SMacler AAtandi EFatima MSantos Lopez AESinharoy SSMaphosa SRamos GJimu JPena Ramirez HSLustig IOtuya PAChidavaenzi MBendit OfalseWomen's experiences collecting and accessing water in Guatemala, Honduras, Kenya, and Zimbabwe: A mixed-methods investigation.1.8 billion people live in households that collect water from sources off household premises, creating burdens that disproportionately affect women. A current and comprehensive investigation of women's water collection experiences is needed to understand their burden of this labor. This study used mixed methods, including (a) go-along, in-depth interviews (IDIs), (b) semi-structured observation, (c) activity-tracking smart watches, and (d) scales, to (1) understand women's practices, perspectives, and experiences going to water sources; (2) determine actual water collection time, distance, caloric expenditure, total elevation ascended, weight carried, and water volume collected; and (3) assess alignment of women's estimated and actual water journey times. Ninety-four women participated acr2025-01-01T00:00:00Z20252026-06-06T04:17:00.75Z2026-05-25T03:11:51.523ZS-EPMC127110954140607910.1371/journal.pgph.0004355