Table 1. Definition of confounder and exposure variable levels.
| Variable | Level | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Socio-economic confounders | ||
| Religion | Hindu | |
| Muslim | ||
| Christian | ||
| Other | ||
| Occupation | Employed or self-employed | |
| Housewife | ||
| Student | ||
| Other | ||
| Education | None | No formal education |
| Primary | Completed Primary education | |
| Secondary | Completed Secondary education | |
| Poverty | No BPL card | |
| BPL card | ||
| Exposures of Interest | ||
| Drinking water source | Household Improved water | Piped tap, tube well, borehole, protected spring, rainwater, or protected dug well that is available on a daily basis and is located in house or yard |
| Other Improved water | Piped tap, tube well, borehole, protected spring, rainwater, or protected dug well that is available on a daily basis and is located outside house or yard but within 30 minutes round trip travel time 1 | |
| Unimproved | Any water type that requires more than 30 minutes round trip to collect, is not available daily, or is of unimproved type, including rivers, lakes, ponds, or unprotected wells or springs 1 | |
| Sanitation Access | Latrine with water | Defecates in private or shared latrine with water source |
| Latrine without water | Defecates in private or shared latrine | |
| No latrine | Defecates in open areas | |
| Distance to defecation location | < = 10 min. | Less than 10 minutes one way 2 |
| > 10 min. | Further than 10 minutes one way 2 | |
| Handwashing location | Household | On premise—In or near toilet facility/in or near kitchen/elsewhere |
| Outside | Outside premises/no specific place | |
| Handwashing on any occasion | Detergent, soap | Detergent or soap & water |
| Other | Ash, Soil, or mud and water | |
| Water only or no wash | Do not wash hands or use water only | |
| Handwashing after defecation | Detergent, soap | Detergent or soap & water |
| Other | Ash, Soil, or mud and water | |
| Water only or no wash | Do not wash hands or use water only | |
| Personal bathing frequency | Daily | At least once a day |
| Not daily | Less than once a day | |
| Bathing water source | Improved | Piped tap, tube well, borehole, protected spring, rainwater, or protected dug well that is available on a daily basis and is located outside house or yard but within 30 minutes round trip travel time |
| Unimproved | Any water type that requires more than 30 minutes round trip to collect, is not available daily, or is of unimproved type, including rivers, lakes, ponds, or unprotected wells or springs | |
| Distance to bathing location | < = 7 min. | Less than 7 minutes 3 |
| > 7 min. | Further than 7 minutes 3 | |
| Materials used for day to day cleansing | Soap | |
| Water only | ||
| Location used for menstrual hygiene management | Toilet | Toilet |
| Room | Private room in house | |
| Open | Open area outside the household | |
| Absorbent Materials | Disposable | Disposable sanitary pads/tampons |
| Reusable | Reusable cloths/towels | |
| Life stage Group | Unmarried youth | Single marital status and less than 24 years of age |
| Newly Married | Married for 2 or less years | |
| Pregnant | Pregnant woman, regardless of age or marital status | |
| Established Married | Married for more than 2 years | |
| Other | Single/divorced/widowed/separated marital status and/or over 24 years of age | |
1 Cut point of 30 minutes used to define water source based upon WHO/UNICEF JMP definitions for improved water.
2 Cut point of 10 minutes selected based upon median reported time for women in this population to travel to defecation site.
3 Cut point of 7 minutes selected based upon median reported time for women in this population to travel to bathing source.