Sanitation Technology Adoptability in Informal Settlements: An Analytical Framework Based on Structural Equation Modeling in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

Sanitation technology adoption remains a persistent challenge in informal urban settlements despite numerous interventions made by stakeholders. Therefore, the objective of this paper was to evaluate factors affecting sanitation technology adoptability in informal settlements: An Analytical framework based on structural equation modeling in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania using appropriate standard methods including structured questionnaires. ANOVA indicated that there were no statistically significant differences between the levels of performance across sanitation technologies (F (3,393) = 1.47, p = 0.222), proving that barriers to adoption are not technological. Four latent factor dimensions of adoptability were identified through an exploratory factor analysis, including institutional, economic, social, and technical. The SEM path analysis showed that among these factors, institutional factors had the highest effect on adoptability (β = 0.41, p < 0.001) than economic (β = 0.35, p < 0.01), technical (β = 0.28, p < 0.01), and social factors (β = 0.22, p < 0.01). There was an indirect effect of economic factors on social factors through the SEM model analysis (β = 0.12, p < 0.05). Model fit indices showed good fitness of the proposed framework, CFI = 0.93, TLI = 0.91, RMSEA = 0.06, and SRMR = 0.05).