Sanitation for Low-Income Regions: A Cross-Disciplinary Review.

Area of Science:

• Environmental engineering and public health
• Interdisciplinary studies in sanitation
• Global health and development

Background:

• Sanitation research traditionally focused on waste containment and disease prevention.
• The field has expanded significantly in scope and complexity over the last two decades.
• Diverse disciplinary perspectives now contribute to sanitation studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current literature on sanitation research across various disciplines in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
• To analyze how diverse perspectives broaden the conventional sanitation service chain framework.
• To demonstrate how interdisciplinary insights can advance progress toward Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: equitable sanitation for all.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of interdisciplinary sanitation research.
• Analysis of varying perspectives on sanitation definitions and policy priorities.
• Examination of the sanitation service chain in conjunction with nonmaterial flows.

Main Results:

• Perspectives on sanitation's definition and policy priorities are highly diverse.
• Diverse viewpoints enrich the conventional sanitation service chain model.
• Sanitation is understood as a system encompassing material and nonmaterial flows, and technological and social functions.

Conclusions:

• A multilayered understanding of sanitation, integrating multiple disciplines, is essential.
• Inclusive and robust research requires considering technological, social, financial, and labor aspects.
• Interdisciplinary approaches are crucial for achieving universal and equitable sanitation.