Identifying Potential Determinants of Faecal Contamination on Domestic Floors in Three Settings in Rural Kenya: A Mixed Methods Analysis.
Hugo Legge, Karisa Kazungo, Sharon Muli, Lynne Elson, Jacinta Mwongeli, Katherine E Halliday, Victoria Ochwal, William Oswald, Robert Dreibelbis, Doris Njomo, Charles Mwandawiro, Ulrike Fillinger, Rachel Pullan, Stella Kepha
Author Information
Hugo Legge: London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, UK.
Karisa Kazungo: International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Nairobi, Kenya.
Sharon Muli: International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Nairobi, Kenya.
Lynne Elson: KEMRI-Wellcome Trust, Nairobi, Kenya.
Jacinta Mwongeli: Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya.
Katherine E Halliday: London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, UK.
Victoria Ochwal: International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Nairobi, Kenya.
William Oswald: London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, UK.
Robert Dreibelbis: London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, UK.
Doris Njomo: Eastern and Southern Africa Centre of International Parasite Control, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya.
Charles Mwandawiro: Eastern and Southern Africa Centre of International Parasite Control, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya.
Ulrike Fillinger: International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Nairobi, Kenya.
Rachel Pullan: London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, UK.
Stella Kepha: Eastern and Southern Africa Centre of International Parasite Control, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya.
Observational evidence suggests that household floors may be an important domain for the transmission of enteric and parasitic infections. However, little work has been done to investigate how household floors can become contaminated with human and animal faeces. This study uses a mixed methods approach to postulate the proximal and distal determinants of household floor contamination with faeces in groups of rural villages in 3 counties in Kenya (Bungoma, Kwale and Narok). Quantitative data was collected through a household census and analysed descriptively and using mixed effects logistic regression models. Qualitative data was collected through unstructured observations of daily routines and in-depth interviews. These data were analysed thematically with case memos produced for routine activities that were hypothesised to be determinants of floor contamination. Possible proximal determinants of floor contamination included; (1) animal contact with floors; (2) child faeces disposal, and; (3) floor cleaning routines. Distal determinants are suggested to be rooted in the socioeconomic, environmental, and cultural context in which households were located and included; (1) the type and number of animals owned by households; (2) presence/absence of dedicated shelters for housing animals at night, which impacted whether sleeping or cooking areas were exposed to animals; (3) Accessibility of inside spaces to poultry and other roaming animals; (4) ownership of an improved floor; (5) ability of animals to access neighbours compounds; (6) seasonal changes in weather. These results will be of use in identifying the contexts in which faecal contamination of domestic floors may be contributing towards transmission of enteric and parasitic infections and in designing effective interventions to prevent this exposure.
