Assessing the Effectiveness of Environmental Health Interventions in Reducing Child Diarrhea in Niger Delta Communities, Bayelsa State

The effectiveness of packaged environmental health interventions combining water treatment, sanitation improvement, and hygiene promotion for reducing childhood diarrhea in the Niger Delta context has not been rigorously evaluated. This study assessed the effectiveness of an integrated WASH intervention program implemented in sixteen communities in Yenagoa and Ogbia local government areas of Bayelsa State, South South Nigeria. An eight-community intervention arm and eight-community comparison arm design with baseline and endline surveys was employed. The intervention included point-of-use water chlorination, latrine construction, and structured hygiene behavior change communication delivered over twelve months. At baseline and endline, diarrhea prevalence was assessed among children under five through caregiver-reported two-week period prevalence, and water samples were tested for fecal contamination. Anthropometric measurements of children were taken at both time points. Results showed a forty-one percent reduction in two-week diarrhea prevalence in intervention communities from baseline (38%) to endline (22%), compared to a non-significant change in comparison communities. Water quality compliance improved from twenty-four percent to seventy-six percent in intervention communities. Exclusive breastfeeding rates and dietary diversity scores did not differ significantly between arms, isolating WASH as the driver of diarrhea reduction. Anthropometric improvement was observed but was not statistically significant over the twelve-month period. The study provides empirical effectiveness data for integrated WASH programming in Niger Delta communities. Recommendations include scaling of the intervention package and integration with nutrition programming. Keywords: WASH intervention, child diarrhea effectiveness, Bayelsa State, hygiene promotion, Niger Delta.