The Well-being of Children in La Dade-Kotopon: How Poor Sanitation, Healthcare Access, and Crowded Homes Create a Cycle of Disadvantage

Abstract

This study examines the critical factors undermining child well-being in the La DadeKotopon Municipality, positing that poor sanitation, limited healthcare access, and overcrowded living conditions form a synergistic cycle of disadvantage. Employing a qualitative methodology, data were gathered via interviews with community stakeholders, including local officials and residents. The analysis identifies persistent open defecation as a primary sanitation failure, directly contributing to a high burden of preventable diseases such as cholera and typhoid among children. This compromised health status is further aggravated by significant barriers to consistent and affordable healthcare. Concurrently, the prevalence of overcrowded homes facilitates the rapid transmission of illness and impedes the maintenance of hygienic environments. The research concludes that these three elements are not isolated issues but are deeply interconnected; poor sanitation increases disease incidence, which overwhelms limited healthcare access, and overcrowding intensifies both the exposure and the vulnerability. This cycle perpetuates a state of chronic poor health, negatively impacting children's school attendance, cognitive development, and long-term prospects. Breaking this cycle requires integrated interventions that simultaneously address infrastructural deficits in sanitation, improve the affordability and reach of healthcare services, and promote public health education within the community.