Summary of OLS results – model variables.

Lack of adequate access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) has contributed to increased under-five mortality and morbidity of school-age children in low- and middle-income countries. Despite the global and national intervention programs, access to safe WASH remains a critical challenge in Nigeria. This study employed spatial and non-spatial statistics to establish causal relationships between WASH conditions and household factors in Nigeria. Results show that a large proportion of Nigerian households were still associated with unimproved hygiene (88%), sanitation (47%) and water (25%). Wealth status, literacy level and residency type exhibit significant causal relationships with households’ water sources (α = 0.000). Wealth status and the gender of household head exhibit significant causal relationships with sanitation condition (α = 0.000) and hygiene condition (α = 0.004 and α = 0.345, respectively). However, the computed parameter Degree of Dependence (DoD_j) shows that the choice of water sources mostly depends on residency type (DoD_j = 0.998) compared with the level of education and wealth status (DoD_j = 0.535 and 0.485, respectively). Statistical indices show that the implemented regression models are reliable (with models’ DoD of 0.714–0.996, Adjusted R2 of 0.184–0.762 and Akaike Information Criterion (AICc) of 68–103). The study concludes that a high risk of unimproved WASH is associated with rural residence, which is usually characterised by a low level of education, poverty and large household size. It further concludes that the high prevalence of unimproved hygiene, irrespective of the household wealth status and educational level, suggests the need for proper health and hygiene education. This study suggests the need for a more focused policy action towards empowering rural and vulnerable households in Nigeria with relevant preventive environmental and health information and appropriate social support for the communities.

安全饮用水、环境卫生与个人卫生（WASH）服务获取不足，已导致中低收入国家5岁以下儿童死亡率上升，学龄儿童患病率升高。尽管全球及各国均已推出相关干预计划，但在尼日利亚，安全WASH服务的获取仍为一项严峻挑战。本研究采用空间与非空间统计方法，探究尼日利亚国内WASH服务状况与家庭影响因素间的因果关联。研究结果显示，尼日利亚绝大多数家庭仍未获得达标个人卫生（88%）、环境卫生（47%）与饮用水（25%）服务。家庭财富状况、文化水平与居住类型，与家庭饮用水来源存在显著因果关联（α=0.000）。家庭财富状况与户主性别，分别与环境卫生状况（α=0.000）和个人卫生状况（α分别为0.004与0.345）存在显著因果关联。然而，通过计算得到的依赖程度（Degree of Dependence, DoD_j）参数显示，与教育水平和家庭财富状况（依赖程度分别为0.535与0.485）相比，饮用水来源的选择主要取决于居住类型（DoD_j=0.998）。各项统计指标显示，本研究构建的回归模型可靠性良好：模型依赖程度介于0.714至0.996之间，调整决定系数（Adjusted R²）为0.184至0.762，赤池信息准则（Akaike Information Criterion, AICc）取值为68至103。本研究得出结论：未达标WASH服务的高风险与农村居住状况高度相关，而农村地区普遍存在教育水平低下、贫困问题突出以及家庭规模较大等特征。研究进一步指出，无论家庭财富状况与教育水平如何，未达标个人卫生服务的高普及率均表明，亟需开展针对性的健康与卫生教育。本研究建议，尼日利亚应出台更具针对性的政策举措，为农村地区与弱势家庭提供相关预防性环境与健康信息，并为社区提供适配的社会支持。