The effects of water quality and sanitation on immunocompromised: A case study of people living with HIV/AIDS in Kibera slum, Kenya

Abstract

Background: Closer inspection of the spread of HIV/AIDS and its implications on individuals, communities and societies reveals several significant linkages with water and sanitation. In the context of poverty, malnutrition, high prevalence of co-infections with other opportunistic diseases, and overburdened health systems, individuals may be more susceptible to acquiring HIV and less able to cope with HIV-related illnesses, both physically and economically.

Objectives: To determine the effect of sanitation and water quality on people living with HIV/AIDS in Kibera slum.

Design: A cross sectional study.

Settings: The study was carried out in Kibera informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya.

Subject: Randomly recruited 369 adults living with HIV/AIDS in Kibera slum

Results: Logistic regression analysis employed to predict the probability that a respondent living with HIV/AIDS in Kibera slum would be infected with diseases related to taking contaminated water and living in poor environmental sanitary conditions using the predictor variables and showed a significant partial effect, x² (5, N = 369) = 73.912, p< 0.001.

Conclusions: Safe drinking water was inaccessible to a majority of participants indicating a high risk of opportunistic diseases and high economic burden.