Shifting from public shared toilets to home toilets in urban settlements: implications of household demand in Kumasi, Ghana

This study was conducted to assess the households’ attributes towards the use of public toilet, demand for improved household toilet and the implications of shifting from public shared toilet to improved household or home toilet. A sample of 120 houses was randomly selected from two groups – those without improved household toilets and those with improved household toilets built with subsidy. The results showed that most of the households using public toilet (86%) were not satisfied with the cleanliness and odour, but were not aware of the home toilet promotion. High and middle income households (82%) received subsidy of 50% of the cost of household toilet. Most of the low income households residing in multifamilies houses did not have improved household toilet due to limited space for facility, multilandlords from extended families, and lack of motivation resulting from the presence of public shared toilets. There are difficulties in shifting from public shared toilets to improved household toilets.