Abstract:
Background: The use of sanitation facilities is known to interrupt the transmission of fecal-tooral
related disease. Health improvement comes from the proper use of sanitation facilities, not
simply their physical presence. Proper disposal of human excreta remains a public challenge
especially in low income countries like Ethiopia including the study area. However, despite
having good latrine facility coverage, there is repeatedly occurrence of diarrheal diseases. There
was a limited data related to level of latrine utilization and associated factors in the study area
Objective: To assess latrine utilization and associated factors in the rural communities of Oda
Bultum District, West Harerghe Zone, Oromia Regional State, Eastern Ethiopia.
Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study design was used from February 15 to March
15, 2018. A total of 695 households were selected using systematic random sampling technique.
A structured pre-tested questionnaire was used for data collection and the data were collected by
trained data collectors using a face-to-face interview. Data were computed using descriptive and
bivariate analysis, and multivariate logistic regression model. For all statistical tests, p-value ≤
0.05 was considered as a cut of point for statistical level of significance.
Results: Latrine utilization among latrine owned households was72.6%, 95% CI: (69.2, 75.8).
Educational status of mother [(AOR=2.17,95% CI (1.05,4.47)], frequency of latrine cleaning
[(AOR=2.58, 95% CI :(1.02,6.55)], Hygienic condition of the latrine[(AOR=3.86, CI 95 %:
(1.60,9.33)], households self-initiation for latrine construction [(AOR=2.30, 95%CI:
(1.23,4.32)], latrines having a superstructure[(AOR=2.16, 95%CI: (1.29, 3.64)], latrines having
closing door[(AOR=4.77, 95%CI: (2.17,10.50)] and presence of school children [(AOR=2.14,
95% CI : (1.18,3.86)] were significantly associated with latrine utilization of the households.
Conclusion: Latrine utilization level among the households was not much satisfactory. The use
of latrine was higher among households that had clean latrines, households having latrines that
had a superstructure, cover on the squatting hole , a closing door, educational status of mother
who can read and write, presence of school children, household’s construction of latrines by selfinitiation
and cleaning their latrine always. Therefore, efforts should be made to improve the
status of latrines for better utilization
