Abstract

Living facilities in slums face significant challenges with water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), contributing to high risk of some diseases among children and adolescents. This study assesses WASH practices, related communicable disease prevalence, treatment-seeking behaviors, and associated socio-demographic factors in this vulnerable population. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 500 school-aged children and adolescents (5-17 years) in urban slums in Dhaka City, Bangladesh. Data on socio-demographics, WASH-related communicable diseases (diarrhea, common flu, dengue, malaria, and chicken pox), and others were collected via structured questionnaires. Descriptive statistics were used; bivariate associations were explored. Among participants, 73.8% reported at least one WASH-related communicable disease in the last three months, with the common flu predominant. Hygiene practices were suboptimal; 51.0% used common taps (supply) water for drinking, 47.6% consumed unpurified water, and only 16.4% always washed hands with soap before eating. Treatment-seeking was delayed, with 49.0% waiting more than 7 days. The occurrence of communicable diseases was significantly higher among children from lower-income households, those with lower parental education, users of untreated water, shared sanitation facilities, and inconsistent handwashing practices (all p < 0.01). Interventions targeting hygiene education and infrastructure are urgently needed to reduce inequities and align with SDG 6.

Key words: Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), hygiene practices, WASH-related diseases, urban slums, School-aged children, adolescents, communicable diseases