Environmental correlates of health-related quality of life among women living in informal settlements in Kenya.
Open accessAbstract
Informal settlements (slums)-defined as residential areas lacking durable housing; sufficient living and public spaces; access to basic infrastructure, water, sanitation, and other services; and secure tenancy-are presumed to be poor health environments. Research in Kenya suggests that residents of these settlements have the worst health outcomes of any population, yet there is a paucity of research focused on the health and well-being of these residents. Even less attention is given to the role played by environment in health in these settings. The present study addresses these gaps by examining potential environmental correlates, specifically access to water and sanitation, of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among 552 women in Mathare slum in Nairobi, Kenya. A Kiswahili version of the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) measured HRQOL. Results suggested that access to a toilet at all times was associated with every subscale of the mental health and general well-being domains of the SF-36. Primary water source was also associated with women's HRQOL. Despite increasing efforts to expand sanitation and water access in informal settlements, more attention should be given to whether the interventions being introduced, which likely affect women's psychosocial health, are appropriate for all residents, including women.
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Access to sanitation facilities was associated with mental well-being; ownership of functional household latrines and enclosed bathing spaces were significantly associated with well-being among women in rural India; toilet access in Kenya was associated with better mental health and well-being; women who received latrines in Mozambique reported decreased stress; and women in India reported private
“Access to sanitation facilities was associated with mental well-being.Ownership of functional household latrines and enclosed bathing spaces were significantly associated with well-being among women in rural India [2].Toilet access in Kenya was associated with better mental health and well-being among women [289].Women who received latrines in Mozambique reported that they decreased their stress,”
From Water, sanitation, and women’s empowerment: A systematic review and qualitative metasynthesis (2022) · cites this paper as [289]
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Water, sanitation, and women’s empowerment: A systematic review and qualitative metasynthesis
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- Authors
- Winter, S. C., Obara, L. M., & Barchi, F.
- Affiliations
- Columbia University (US)
- University of Nairobi (KE)
- Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (US)
- Corresponding author
- Winter, Samantha C.
- Venue
- International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
- Publisher
- MDPI AG
- Published
- 2019-10-17
- Volume
- 16
- Issue
- 20
- Pages
- 3948
- ISSN
- 1660-4601 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC6843694
- OpenAlex
- W2980753928
- Cited by
- 21
- References
- 42
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 3
- FWCI
- 5.63
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- dx.doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Rutgers University Community Repository (Rutgers University) (submittedVersion)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Funders
- Rutgers Global Health Institute (global health seed grant)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Urban Studies › Urban and Rural Development Challenges
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Public Health and Environmental Issues
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Child Nutrition and Water Access
- Keywords
- informal settlements, slums, health-related quality of life, women's health, water access, sanitation, toilet access, psychosocial well-being
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Environment, Female, Humans, Kenya, Poverty Areas, Quality of Life, Sanitation, Women's Health
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