Access to safe water and facilities has been identified as an important contributing factor in reducing risks to public health. Several articles have been written indicating (both qualitatively and quantitatively) the effects of improvements of water and sanitation on prevalence of waterborne diseases. Most of these studies either looked at the combined effect of both these environmental health factors or do not quantify the effects of improvements in access to safe sanitation facilities on the chances of becoming sick from waterborne diseases by controlling for other economic, demographic, or environmental health factors. The purpose of this study is to specifically assess the decrease in the chances of becoming sick from waterborne diseases as a result of gaining access to safe sanitation facilities in rural Bangladesh. It was concluded that improvements in safe sanitation reduce the chances of becoming sick from waterborne diseases by 2.2 per cent, although, it is possible that this figure is an underestimate due to the negative externalities associated with unhygienic sanitation practices. It was also found in the study that however gradual improvements in sanitation facilities to a level that is not deemed safe do not have any positive effect on the prevalence of waterborne diseases; thus, significant health benefits can only be attained if households switch to safe sanitation facilities.

Akin, J. (1992) ‘A child health production function estimated from longitudinal data’, Journal of Development Economics 38: 323-51.

Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) (2007) Report on the Household Income and Expenditure Survey 2005, Ministry of Planning. Government of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Blum, D. and Feachem, R.G. (1983) ‘Measuring the impact of water supply and sanitation investments on diarrhoeal diseases: Problems of methodology’, International Journal of Epidemiology 12: 357-65.

BRAC (2008) Water, Sanitation and Hygiene: Findings from the Baseline Survey, BRAC Press, Dhaka.

Clasen, T., Schmidt, W., Rabie, T., Roberts, I., Cairncross, S. (2007) ‘Interventions to improve water quality for preventing diarrhoea: Systematic review and meta-analysis’, BMJ 334(7597): 782.

Curtis V. (2003) ‘Talking dirty: How to save a million lives’, International Journal of Environmental Health Research 13: S73-S79.

Dasgupta, P. (2004) ‘Valuing health damages from water pollution in urban Delhi, India: A health production function approach’, Environment and Development Economics 9: 83-106.

Duraisamy, P. (2001) Health Status and Curative Health Care in Rural India [website], National Council of Applied Economic Research, Working Paper, No. 78, <www.ncaer.org≯ [accessed 26 August 2011]. www.ncaer.org

Esrey, S.A. (1996) ‘Water, waste, and well-being: A multi-country study’, American Journal of Epidemiology 143: 608-23.

Fewtrell, L., Kaufmann, R.B., Kay, D., Enanaria, W., Haller, L. and Colford, J.M. Jr (2005) ‘Water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions to reduce diarrhoea in less developed countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis’, Lancet Infectious Disease 5: 42-52.

Hoque, B.A. (2003) ‘Hand-washing practices and challenges in Bangladesh’, International Journal of Environmental Health Research 13: S81-S87.

Kennedy, P. (2003) A Guide to Econometrics, 5th edition, The MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Metwally, A.M., Saad, A., Ibrahim, N.A., Emam, H.M. and El-etreby, L.A. (2007) ‘Monitoring progress of the role of integration of environmental health education with water and sanitation services in changing community behaviours’, International Journal of Environmental Health Research 17: 61-74.

Murray, C.J.L. and Lopez, A.D. (1996) The Global Burden of Disease, Harvard School of Public Health, WHO, World Bank, Cambridge, MA.

Pruss, A., Kay, D., Fewtrell, L. and Bartram, J. (2002) ‘Estimating the burden of disease from water, sanitation, and hygiene at a global level’, Environmental Health Perspectives 110: 537-42.

Stanton, B.F. and Clemens, J.D. (1987) ‘Socioeconomic variables and rates of diarrhoeal disease in urban Bangladesh’, Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 81: 278-82.

UNDP (2006) Human Development Report. Beyond Scarcity: Power, Poverty and the Global Water Crisis, United Nations Development Programme(UNDP), New York.

Van der Hoek, W., Konradsen, F., Ensink, J.H.J., Mudasser, M. and Jensen, P.K. (2004) ‘Irrigation water as a source of drinking water: Is safe use possible?’ Tropical Medicine and International Health 6: 46-54.

Van Wijk, C. and Murre, T. (1995) Motivating Better Hygiene Behaviour: Importance for Public Health. Mechanisms for Change, UNICEF, New York.

WHO (2004) Evaluation of the Costs and Benefits of Water and Sanitation Improvements at the Global Level, Water, Sanitation and Health Protection of the Human Environment, WHO, Geneva.

WHO/UNICEF (2000) Water Supply and Sanitation Global Assessment 2000 Report, WHO, Geneva.

Akin, J. (1992) ‘A child health production function estimated from longitudinal data’, Journal of Development Economics 38: 323-51.

Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) (2007) Report on the Household Income and Expenditure Survey 2005, Ministry of Planning. Government of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Blum, D. and Feachem, R.G. (1983) ‘Measuring the impact of water supply and sanitation investments on diarrhoeal diseases: Problems of methodology’, International Journal of Epidemiology 12: 357-65.

BRAC (2008) Water, Sanitation and Hygiene: Findings from the Baseline Survey, BRAC Press, Dhaka.

Clasen, T., Schmidt, W., Rabie, T., Roberts, I., Cairncross, S. (2007) ‘Interventions to improve water quality for preventing diarrhoea: Systematic review and meta-analysis’, BMJ 334(7597): 782.

Curtis V. (2003) ‘Talking dirty: How to save a million lives’, International Journal of Environmental Health Research 13: S73-S79.

Dasgupta, P. (2004) ‘Valuing health damages from water pollution in urban Delhi, India: A health production function approach’, Environment and Development Economics 9: 83-106.

Duraisamy, P. (2001) Health Status and Curative Health Care in Rural India [website], National Council of Applied Economic Research, Working Paper, No. 78, <www.ncaer.org≯ [accessed 26 August 2011]. www.ncaer.org

Esrey, S.A. (1996) ‘Water, waste, and well-being: A multi-country study’, American Journal of Epidemiology 143: 608-23.

Fewtrell, L., Kaufmann, R.B., Kay, D., Enanaria, W., Haller, L. and Colford, J.M. Jr (2005) ‘Water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions to reduce diarrhoea in less developed countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis’, Lancet Infectious Disease 5: 42-52.

Hoque, B.A. (2003) ‘Hand-washing practices and challenges in Bangladesh’, International Journal of Environmental Health Research 13: S81-S87.

Kennedy, P. (2003) A Guide to Econometrics, 5th edition, The MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Metwally, A.M., Saad, A., Ibrahim, N.A., Emam, H.M. and El-etreby, L.A. (2007) ‘Monitoring progress of the role of integration of environmental health education with water and sanitation services in changing community behaviours’, International Journal of Environmental Health Research 17: 61-74.

Murray, C.J.L. and Lopez, A.D. (1996) The Global Burden of Disease, Harvard School of Public Health, WHO, World Bank, Cambridge, MA.

Pruss, A., Kay, D., Fewtrell, L. and Bartram, J. (2002) ‘Estimating the burden of disease from water, sanitation, and hygiene at a global level’, Environmental Health Perspectives 110: 537-42.

Stanton, B.F. and Clemens, J.D. (1987) ‘Socioeconomic variables and rates of diarrhoeal disease in urban Bangladesh’, Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 81: 278-82.

UNDP (2006) Human Development Report. Beyond Scarcity: Power, Poverty and the Global Water Crisis, United Nations Development Programme(UNDP), New York.

Van der Hoek, W., Konradsen, F., Ensink, J.H.J., Mudasser, M. and Jensen, P.K. (2004) ‘Irrigation water as a source of drinking water: Is safe use possible?’ Tropical Medicine and International Health 6: 46-54.

Van Wijk, C. and Murre, T. (1995) Motivating Better Hygiene Behaviour: Importance for Public Health. Mechanisms for Change, UNICEF, New York.

WHO (2004) Evaluation of the Costs and Benefits of Water and Sanitation Improvements at the Global Level, Water, Sanitation and Health Protection of the Human Environment, WHO, Geneva.

WHO/UNICEF (2000) Water Supply and Sanitation Global Assessment 2000 Report, WHO, Geneva.

Akin, J. (1992) ‘A child health production function estimated from longitudinal data’, Journal of Development Economics 38: 323-51.

Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) (2007) Report on the Household Income and Expenditure Survey 2005, Ministry of Planning. Government of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Blum, D. and Feachem, R.G. (1983) ‘Measuring the impact of water supply and sanitation investments on diarrhoeal diseases: Problems of methodology’, International Journal of Epidemiology 12: 357-65.

BRAC (2008) Water, Sanitation and Hygiene: Findings from the Baseline Survey, BRAC Press, Dhaka.

Clasen, T., Schmidt, W., Rabie, T., Roberts, I., Cairncross, S. (2007) ‘Interventions to improve water quality for preventing diarrhoea: Systematic review and meta-analysis’, BMJ 334(7597): 782.

Curtis V. (2003) ‘Talking dirty: How to save a million lives’, International Journal of Environmental Health Research 13: S73-S79.

Dasgupta, P. (2004) ‘Valuing health damages from water pollution in urban Delhi, India: A health production function approach’, Environment and Development Economics 9: 83-106.

Duraisamy, P. (2001) Health Status and Curative Health Care in Rural India [website], National Council of Applied Economic Research, Working Paper, No. 78, <www.ncaer.org≯ [accessed 26 August 2011]. www.ncaer.org

Esrey, S.A. (1996) ‘Water, waste, and well-being: A multi-country study’, American Journal of Epidemiology 143: 608-23.

Fewtrell, L., Kaufmann, R.B., Kay, D., Enanaria, W., Haller, L. and Colford, J.M. Jr (2005) ‘Water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions to reduce diarrhoea in less developed countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis’, Lancet Infectious Disease 5: 42-52.

Hoque, B.A. (2003) ‘Hand-washing practices and challenges in Bangladesh’, International Journal of Environmental Health Research 13: S81-S87.

Kennedy, P. (2003) A Guide to Econometrics, 5th edition, The MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Metwally, A.M., Saad, A., Ibrahim, N.A., Emam, H.M. and El-etreby, L.A. (2007) ‘Monitoring progress of the role of integration of environmental health education with water and sanitation services in changing community behaviours’, International Journal of Environmental Health Research 17: 61-74.

Murray, C.J.L. and Lopez, A.D. (1996) The Global Burden of Disease, Harvard School of Public Health, WHO, World Bank, Cambridge, MA.

Pruss, A., Kay, D., Fewtrell, L. and Bartram, J. (2002) ‘Estimating the burden of disease from water, sanitation, and hygiene at a global level’, Environmental Health Perspectives 110: 537-42.

Stanton, B.F. and Clemens, J.D. (1987) ‘Socioeconomic variables and rates of diarrhoeal disease in urban Bangladesh’, Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 81: 278-82.

UNDP (2006) Human Development Report. Beyond Scarcity: Power, Poverty and the Global Water Crisis, United Nations Development Programme(UNDP), New York.

Van der Hoek, W., Konradsen, F., Ensink, J.H.J., Mudasser, M. and Jensen, P.K. (2004) ‘Irrigation water as a source of drinking water: Is safe use possible?’ Tropical Medicine and International Health 6: 46-54.

Van Wijk, C. and Murre, T. (1995) Motivating Better Hygiene Behaviour: Importance for Public Health. Mechanisms for Change, UNICEF, New York.

WHO (2004) Evaluation of the Costs and Benefits of Water and Sanitation Improvements at the Global Level, Water, Sanitation and Health Protection of the Human Environment, WHO, Geneva.

WHO/UNICEF (2000) Water Supply and Sanitation Global Assessment 2000 Report, WHO, Geneva.