India, March 20 -- Public debates about women's safety in India usually focus on violence in public spaces. But there is another dimension of safety that receives far less attention: sanitation security - the ability to access clean toilets safely, privately, and reliably throughout the day. For decades, this issue has been framed primarily as a matter of dignity and gender equality. It is also a public health issue with measurable biological consequences.

One of the least discussed consequences is the possible contribution of sanitation insecurity to kidney stone disease.

Kidney stones form when minerals such as calcium, oxalate, or uric acid crystallize in concentrated urine. The most powerful modifiable risk factor for stones is low ...