An exploratory pilot study of the effect of modified hygiene kits on handwashing with soap among internally displaced persons in Ethiopia
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Background
Crisis-affected populations are at increased risk of diarrhoeal morbidity and mortality and in conflict-affected settings, children under 5 years of age are 20 times more likely to die from diarrheal disease than from violence associated with the conflict itself. This is because crises often force populations to be displaced to crowded, informal living environments enabling diseases to spread more easily from one person to the next. At the same time, many of the institutions, infrastructure and social support systems that would normally support health break down, resulting in decreased diagnoses and treatment and increases in disease severity. Inadequate access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) remains a global challenge, but these challenges are particularly pronounced in crisis-affected regions.