Impact of improving Microbial Water Quality and Hygiene on reducing diarrhea of under-fives in rural Dire Dawa, Eastern Ethiopia

Effect of single and combined interventions of Point-of-use Water Treatment and Handwashing on diarrhea among under-five children in rural Dire Dawa, Eastern Ethiopia: A cluster randomized controlled trial

Status

Active, not recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

PACTR

Registry ID

PACTR201807815961394

Enrollment

1180

Registered

2018-07-16

Start date

2018-09-17

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2026-09-14

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Acute Diarrhea

Interventions

A cluster randomized controlled trial

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: ? Households having one child aged between 6 and 59 months age [Since, infants less than six months of age are on exclusive breast feeding, their defecation might be more than three per day which is not actually diarrhea, but seems diarrhea as per WHO definition. That is why they are excluded] ? Households having under-five child who is not suffering from chronic disease ? Householders who are voluntary to participate and who will give informed written consent ? Householders who allow the data collectors and intervention providers to do regular follow up

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: ? Model households who implemented the full health extension packages ? Households whose family members are allergic for soap ? Under-five child with persistent diarrhea ? Either caretaker or household head who are severely ill and unable to respond to the questionnaire

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Study participants randomized to water treatment arm will be given two bottles of waterguard for a total four months (one for each two months) to treat their drinking water continuously for four months and the occurrence and non-occurrence of the health outcome of interest i.e diarrhea will be checked once every two weeks by interviewing the mother or care giver or guardian of the under-five child. Diarrhea is defined as the passage of three or more loose or liquid stool by the child in 24 hours or the passage of single bloody loose stool during the 24 hour period. Study participants randomized to handwashing arm will be given two bars of soap once every two weeks for four months and they will be instructed to wash their hands regularly at five critical times; these are handwashing with soap and water before preparing food, before eating, before feeding a child, after defecation and after contact with child feces. Then the occurrence and non-occurrence of the health outcome of interest i.e diarrhea will be checked once every two weeks by interviewing the mother or care giver or guardian of the under-five child. Diarrhea is defined as the passage of three or more loose or liquid stool by the child in 24 hours or the passage of single bloody loose stool during the 24 hour period. Similarly, study participants randomized to water treatment arm will be given two bottles of waterguard for a total four months (one for each two months) to treat their drinking water continuously for four months. Similarly, those randomized to handwashing arm will be given two bars of soap once every two weeks for four months and they will be instructed to wash their hands regularly at five critical times; these are handwashing with soap and water before preparing food, before eating, before feeding a child, after defecation and after contact with child feces. Then the occurrence and non-occurrence of the health outcome of interest i.e diarrhea will be checked once every two weeks by intervi	—

Measure

Time frame

Study participants randomized to water treatment arm will be given two bottles of waterguard for a total four months (one for each two months) to treat their drinking water continuously for four months and the occurrence and non-occurrence of the health outcome of interest i.e diarrhea will be checked once every two weeks by interviewing the mother or care giver or guardian of the under-five child. Diarrhea is defined as the passage of three or more loose or liquid stool by the child in 24 hours or the passage of single bloody loose stool during the 24 hour period. Study participants randomized to handwashing arm will be given two bars of soap once every two weeks for four months and they will be instructed to wash their hands regularly at five critical times; these are handwashing with soap and water before preparing food, before eating, before feeding a child, after defecation and after contact with child feces. Then the occurrence and non-occurrence of the health outcome of interest i.e diarrhea will be checked once every two weeks by interviewing the mother or care giver or guardian of the under-five child. Diarrhea is defined as the passage of three or more loose or liquid stool by the child in 24 hours or the passage of single bloody loose stool during the 24 hour period. Similarly, study participants randomized to water treatment arm will be given two bottles of waterguard for a total four months (one for each two months) to treat their drinking water continuously for four months. Similarly, those randomized to handwashing arm will be given two bars of soap once every two weeks for four months and they will be instructed to wash their hands regularly at five critical times; these are handwashing with soap and water before preparing food, before eating, before feeding a child, after defecation and after contact with child feces. Then the occurrence and non-occurrence of the health outcome of interest i.e diarrhea will be checked once every two weeks by intervi

—

Secondary

Measure	Time frame
Behavioral change of handwashing habit and treatment habit of drinking water using WaterGaurd	—

Countries

Ethiopia

Contacts

Public ContactSirak Robele

Co Advisor

sirakr@gmail.com+251947380225

Outcome results

None listed

Source: PACTR (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: Sep 19, 2026