IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/wdevel/v154y2022ics0305750x22000456.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Limited benefits and high costs are associated with low monetary returns for Guatemalan household investment in water, sanitation, and hygiene technologies

Author

Listed:
  • Voth-Gaeddert, Lee E.
  • Fikru, Mahelet G.
  • Oerther, Daniel B.

Abstract

The child stunting rate (low height-for-age) in Guatemala is the sixth worst in the world. Child stunting is correlated both with short and long-term economic costs. While technologies to improve water, sanitation and hygiene (WaSH) are effective at ameliorating child stunting, current household investment in WaSH technologies is constrained (i.e., self-supply). To understand this constraint, data on household spending priorities and barriers to investment in WaSH technologies must be assessed. We utilize primary data from our partner community in Totonicapán, Guatemala to populate a structural equation model and benefit-cost analysis assessing the association between household WaSH technologies and child height-for-age. To test regional variations, we scale-up our approach to examine four additional regions across western Guatemala. The results suggest there is limited monetary gain for households to invest in WaSH technologies. Among the communities and regions where higher returns on investment for households were identified, significant WaSH technologies were cumulatively low cost and simple to obtain and use. We encourage stakeholders supporting a self-supply model to evaluate that incremental improvements in WaSH technologies financed by the household do not impose large costs without sufficient benefits, facilitating healthy WaSH mobility (a household's ability to improve their WaSH technology status).

Suggested Citation

  • Voth-Gaeddert, Lee E. & Fikru, Mahelet G. & Oerther, Daniel B., 2022. "Limited benefits and high costs are associated with low monetary returns for Guatemalan household investment in water, sanitation, and hygiene technologies," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:154:y:2022:i:c:s0305750x22000456
    DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2022.105855
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305750X22000456
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.worlddev.2022.105855?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Harold Alderman & John Hoddinott & Bill Kinsey, 2006. "Long term consequences of early childhood malnutrition," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 58(3), pages 450-474, July.
    2. Doyle, Orla & Harmon, Colm P. & Heckman, James J. & Tremblay, Richard E., 2009. "Investing in early human development: Timing and economic efficiency," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 7(1), pages 1-6, March.
    3. Carneiro, Pedro & Heckman, James J., 2003. "Human Capital Policy," IZA Discussion Papers 821, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Hugh Waddington & Birte Snilstveit, 2009. "Effectiveness and sustainability of water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions in combating diarrhoea," Journal of Development Effectiveness, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 1(3), pages 295-335.
    5. Hoddinott, John & Maluccio, John & Behrman, Jere R. & Martorell, Reynaldo & Melgar, Paul & Quisumbing, Agnes R. & Ramirez-Zea, Manuel & Stein, Aryeh D. & Yount, Kathryn M., 2011. "The consequences of early childhood growth failure over the life course:," IFPRI discussion papers 1073, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    6. Elisa Sicuri & Azucena Bardají & Betuel Sigauque & Maria Maixenchs & Ariel Nhacolo & Delino Nhalungo & Eusebio Macete & Pedro L Alonso & Clara Menéndez, 2011. "Costs Associated with Low Birth Weight in a Rural Area of Southern Mozambique," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 6(12), pages 1-9, December.
    7. Harold Alderman & Jere R. Behrman, 2006. "Reducing the Incidence of Low Birth Weight in Low-Income Countries Has Substantial Economic Benefits," The World Bank Research Observer, World Bank, vol. 21(1), pages 25-48.
    8. Whittington, Dale & Jeuland, Marc & Barker, Kate & Yuen, Yvonne, 2012. "Setting Priorities, Targeting Subsidies among Water, Sanitation, and Preventive Health Interventions in Developing Countries," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 40(8), pages 1546-1568.
    9. Wolfe, Barbara L. & Behrman, Jere R., 1982. "Determinants of child mortality, health, and nutrition in a developing country," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 11(2), pages 163-193, October.
    10. Harold Alderman & Derek Headey, 2018. "The timing of growth faltering has important implications for observational analyses of the underlying determinants of nutrition outcomes," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(4), pages 1-16, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. María Fernanda Rosales, 2014. "Impact of Early Life Shocks on Human Capital Formation: El Niño Floods in Ecuador," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 87693, Inter-American Development Bank.
    2. Nsababera, Olive, 2020. "Refugee camps – A lasting legacy? Evidence on long-term health impact," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 39(C).
    3. Jere R. Behrman & John Hoddinott & John A. Maluccio, & Erica Soler-Hampejsek & Emily L. Behrman & Reynaldo Martorell & Manuel Ramirez-Zea & Aryeh D. Stein, 2006. "What Determines Adult Cognitive Skills? Impacts of Pre-Schooling, Schooling and Post-Schooling Experiences in Guatemala," PIER Working Paper Archive 06-027, Penn Institute for Economic Research, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania.
    4. Welander, Anna & Lyttkens, Carl Hampus & Nilsson, Therese, 2014. "Globalization and Child Health in Developing Countries: The Role of Democracy," Working Paper Series 1016, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
    5. Schultz, T. Paul, 2010. "Population and Health Policies," Handbook of Development Economics, in: Dani Rodrik & Mark Rosenzweig (ed.), Handbook of Development Economics, edition 1, volume 5, chapter 0, pages 4785-4881, Elsevier.
    6. Lindsey Macmillan & Emma Tominey, 2023. "Parental inputs and socio-economic gaps in early child development," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 36(3), pages 1513-1543, July.
    7. Subha Mani, 2012. "Is there Complete, Partial, or No Recovery from Childhood Malnutrition? – Empirical Evidence from Indonesia," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 74(5), pages 691-715, October.
    8. Baez, Javier E., 2011. "Civil wars beyond their borders: The human capital and health consequences of hosting refugees," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 96(2), pages 391-408, November.
    9. Xiaoying Liu & Jere R Behrman & Aryeh D Stein & Linda S Adair & Santosh K Bhargava & Judith B Borja & Mariangela Freitas da Silveira & Bernardo L Horta & Reynaldo Martorell & Shane A Norris & Linda M , 2017. "Prenatal care and child growth and schooling in four low- and medium-income countries," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(2), pages 1-21, February.
    10. Coneus, Katja & Laucht, Manfred & Reuß, Karsten, 2012. "The role of parental investments for cognitive and noncognitive skill formation—Evidence for the first 11 years of life," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 10(2), pages 189-209.
    11. Richard Akresh & Philip Verwimp & Tom Bundervoet, 2011. "Civil War, Crop Failure, and Child Stunting in Rwanda," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 59(4), pages 777-810.
    12. Ulrike Huemer, 2022. "Qualifizierung als Mittel zur Hebung der Beschäftigungsquote," WIFO Monatsberichte (monthly reports), WIFO, vol. 95(7), pages 457-466, July.
    13. Orla Doyle, 2017. "The First 2,000 Days and Child Skills: Evidence from a Randomized Experiment of Home Visiting," Working Papers 2017-054, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    14. Orazem, Peter F. & Glewwe, Paul & Patrinos, Harry, 2007. "The Benefits and Costs of Alternative Strategies to Improve Educational Outcomes," Working Papers 7352, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
    15. Mohamed, Issam A.W., 2011. "Challenges of formal social security systems in Sudan," MPRA Paper 31611, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    16. Yamauchi, Futoshi & Higuchi, Katsuhiko & Suhaeti, Rita Nur, 2009. "Impacts of prenatal and environmental factors on child growth: Evidence from Indonesia," IFPRI discussion papers 933, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    17. Rossi,Federico, 2018. "Human Capital and Macro-Economic Development : A Review of the Evidence," Policy Research Working Paper Series 8650, The World Bank.
    18. Datta Gupta, Nabanita & Deding, Mette & Lausten, Mette, 2013. "The effect of low birth weight on height, weight and behavioral outcomes in the medium-run," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 11(1), pages 42-55.
    19. Gutiérrez-Romero, Roxana, 2024. "The intergenerational impact of electoral violence on height and human capital," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 220(C), pages 608-630.
    20. Barde, Julia Alexa & Walkiewicz, Juliana, 2013. "The Impact of Access to Piped Drinking Water on Human Capital Formation - Evidence from Brasilian Primary Schools," VfS Annual Conference 2013 (Duesseldorf): Competition Policy and Regulation in a Global Economic Order 79808, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:154:y:2022:i:c:s0305750x22000456. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/worlddev .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.