Relationship between unimproved household sanitation facilities and malaria infection among under-five children in Nigeria: insights from Malaria Indicator Survey 2021

This study analysed data from the 2021 NMIS, including 1833 children aged 5–59 months (weighted sample size: 1,784,805,486) tested for malaria using rapid tests. Data on malaria prevention practices, household characteristics, and children’s blood samples were collected. The primary outcome was malaria test results (rapid diagnostic test, RDT), with the type of toilet facility as the main predictor. Covariates included age, sex, wealth index, maternal education, residence type, household construction materials, drinking water sources, type of mosquito nets, and mosquito net usage. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess associations, reporting adjusted odds ratios (aORs), 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and p-values < 0.05.