Stanford University|Universidad Nacional de La Plata|Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas|United Nations Children's Fund India|Mali-Folkecenter|Stanford University|Tufts University
sanitation access provide positive externalities example safe disposal feces one household prevents disease transmission households nearby however little empirical evidence exists characterize potential health benefits sanitation externalities study investigated effect community sanitation coverage versus individual household sanitation access child health drinking water quality using census 121 villages rural mali analyzed association community latrine coverage defined 200 radius surrounding household individual household latrine ownership child growth household stored water quality child heightforage significant positive linear relationship community latrine coverage child weightforage household water quality nonlinear relationships leveled 60 coverage p 001 generalized additive models child growth water quality associated individual household latrine ownership relationship community latrine coverage child height strongest among households without latrine households 10 increase latrine coverage associated 0031 pvalue 0040 increase heightforage zscore study level sanitation access surrounding households important private latrine access protecting water quality child health