RESUMO
Objectives To analyse the economic and social benefit of improvement of latrines in countryside of Hunan province,China.Methods 6 counties were selected as observational points based on the character of geographical position and the types of non-hazard treatment of feces.The lab tests,questionnaire investigation,retrospective survey and mathematical models were used and the prevalance rate of intestinal infectious diseases and infectious rate of parasite were analyzed.Results All the three types of non-hazard treatment facilities fulfiled the requirement of The Hygeian Standard of the Fecal Decontamination.Compared with the villages without improvement of latrine,the infectious rates of parasite was lower by 61.32%,the prevalance rate of intestinal infectious diseases by 45.25%,and the incidence rates of infectious diarrhea by 42.62% in villages where the latrines improved.The improvement of latrine will save 28 379.1 yuan for one year and 2.45 yuan for one person in preventing intestinal infectious diseases and infectious diarrhea.Conclusion Three types of non-hazardous treatment of feces have obvious effectiveness on disease prevention,which will produce distinct economic and social benefit.