Health Impacts of Water Scarcity on Women in Baringo South Constituency, Baringo County, Kenya

Abstract

Water scarcity remains a persistent challenge in Baringo South Constituency, where inadequate and unreliable water supplies place a disproportionate burden on women responsible for household water collection and use. Despite the potential health consequences of prolonged water shortages, evidence on the specific health burden among women in the area remains limited. The study examined the health impacts of water scarcity on women in Baringo South Constituency, Baringo County, Kenya, focusing on Marigat and Mochongoi wards. It was anchored on Feminist Political Ecology of Health perspective. A convergent parallel mixed-methods design combined quantitative household surveys with qualitative data from focus group discussions and key informant interviews. The target population comprised 22,623 women aged 18 years and above who were responsible for household water collection in the two wards. Using Yamane’s formula at a 5% margin of error and 95% confidence level, a sample size of 393 women was determined for the quantitative survey. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS version 27 through descriptive statistics and chi-square tests, while qualitative data were transcribed, translated, and analyzed thematically. Women constituted the primary water collectors in 69.4% of households, with 62.5% traveling beyond 500 meters and 71.9% spending over one hour per trip. Musculoskeletal discomfort was reported by 75.0%, while psychological stress was high, with physical stress recording the highest mean score (M = 4.80, SD = 0.41). Diarrhoea was the most frequently reported health condition (M = 2.44, SD = 0.88). Water scarcity was significantly associated with diarrhoea (χ² = 16.42, p < 0.001), skin infections (χ² = 12.58, p < 0.001), eye infections (χ² = 9.87, p = 0.002), genitourinary infections (χ² = 11.31, p = 0.001), musculoskeletal pain (χ² = 25.64, p < 0.001), and mental health stress/anxiety (χ² = 32.10, p < 0.001). Qualitative findings further documented headaches, shoulder pain, fatigue, injuries, psychological strain, and reported reproductive-health challenges associated with water collection. The study concludes that water scarcity in Baringo South imposes a triple burden of physical injury, psychological morbidity and infectious disease risk on women. Findings underscore the urgency of gender-responsive water interventions aligned with Sustainable Development Goals 3, 5, and 6.