Age-Stratified Socio-demographic Determinants of Water Insecurity in Urban Ghana

Meshack Achore, Florence Dery, Francis Dakyaga 

This study examines how age-stratified socio-demographic factors influence water insecurity in urban Ghana, where age-based access differences remain poorly understood. Using survey data from 627 households in three neighborhoods in Accra, we used stratified multivariate logistic regression to analyze water insecurity among three age groups: young adults (18–29 years; 59.2%), middle-aged adults (30–59 years; 27.4%), and older adults (60+ years; 13.4%).  The results indicate that unemployment significantly influences the odds of water security across all groups: young (OR = 0.29, 95% CI: 0.04–0.92), middle-aged (OR = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.12–0.99), and older adults (OR = 0.39, 95% CI: 0.02–0.92). Households relying on unimproved water sources were more likely to be water insecure: young (OR = 2.05, CI: 1.01–6.72), middle-aged (OR = 1.66, CI: 1.07–38.23), older adults (OR = 1.90, CI: 1.11–7.43). For older adults, the distance to water (>30 minutes) was a crucial factor (OR = 4.98, CI: 1.72–14.37), while for younger respondents, marital status and household decision-making power were influential. These findings highlight the importance of age-specific interventions that focus on employment, infrastructure, and autonomy to achieve SDG 6: universal water access in urban Ghana and similar settings.