The objective of this study was to identify factors influence households to use
and maintain latrines. This information is needed to scale up community led total sanitation
programs in the Ermera District of Timor-Leste. The respondents were males and females
18-65 years of age in Haupu village. In order to access information from the subjects, the
study was designed as a cross-sectional survey, based on a quantitative data design. The
study was conducted in February 2013. Overall 417 respondents agreed to participate and
data were collected using a structured questionnaire and were analyzed using chi-square
tests of significance. The study found that 47.2% of households continued to use and
maintain latrines and 52.8% had stopped by one year after the open defecation free
declaration in Haupu Village. There were several factors that influenced households to
continue use of or stop using latrines, namely socio-demography, knowledge, attitude and
practice, socioeconomic status and environmental factors. It was found that there were
significant associations between latrine use and gender (p-value=0.002), level of education
(p-value<0.001), occupation (p-value =0.005), income (p-value <0.001), neighbors having a
latrine (p-value<0.001), neighbor influence to build a latrine (p-value <0.001), knowledge
(p-value =0.002), attitudes (p-value <0.001) and practices (p-value <0.001). There were 3
variables without significant associations namely: marital status (p-value 0.204), water
source (p-value 0.959) and age (p-value 0.095). More than half of the households stopped
use and maintenance of latrines by one year after the open defecation free declaration. There
were significant associations between latrine use and socio-demography, knowledge,
attitude and practice, socioeconomic status and environmental factors. Education and
knowledge are essential elements to be improved, especially for those living in rural areas.
Collaboration within relevant ministries, institutions and among partners are the key
important roles to monitoring and supervise the sustainability of latrine use and
maintenance in the future.