Unravelling context: a formative photovoice study of Indian youth perspectives of sanitation and hygiene practices

Waterlines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-43
Author(s):  
Anise Gold-Watts ◽  
Geir Aamodt ◽  
Ramesh Shanmugasundaram ◽  
Sheri Bastien

Water, sanitation, and hygiene are issues of substantial public health importance. Community-based participatory research approaches such as photovoice can help explore and identify determinants that influence sanitation and hygiene-related behaviours. This study aimed to use photovoice as part of the formative research process to increase understanding of youth’s perceptions of the cultural and contextual factors that influence sanitation and hygiene-related behaviours in Thirumalaikodi, India. First, a school was recruited using convenience sampling; next, 10 participants were purposively selected to participate in an information meeting, seven photo discussion sessions, and one wrap-up session over a three-week period. In each photo discussion session, participant groups selected one ‘trigger’ photograph, and through a structured discussion using SHOWED mnemonic questions (a series of questions that ask participants to describe and reflect upon a chosen photograph), generated a new understanding of issues related to water, sanitation, and hygiene. All sessions were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Conventional content analysis was used to analyse photo discussion session text. Findings revealed that factors such as social structure, education, and culture influence behaviours that determine the sanitary conditions of an individual’s private and public spaces. Furthermore, participants described how descriptive norms generated practices (e.g. littering) that were reinforced and maintained by limited access to waste management systems, attitudinal indifference, and generational beliefs. Findings yielded an in-depth understanding of youth’s perceptions of the cultural and contextual factors that influence sanitation and hygiene-related behaviours. This study also contributes to the advancement of participatory applications in formative research and intervention adaptation processes.

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 117863022199963
Author(s):  
Negasa Eshete Soboksa ◽  
Sirak Robele Gari ◽  
Abebe Beyene Hailu ◽  
Bezatu Mengistie Alemu

Background: Inadequate water supply, sanitation, hygiene practices, and diarrhea are related to malnutrition, but there is limited evidence in Ethiopia about their association. Thus, the objective of this study was to describe childhood malnutrition and the association with diarrhea, water supply, sanitation and hygiene practices. Methods: A case-control study design was performed from December 2018 to January 2019 in Kersa and Omo Nada districts of the Jimma Zone, Ethiopia. Both children aged 6 to 59 months were chosen randomly from malnourished and well-nourished children in 128 cases and 256 controls, respectively. Bodyweight, length/height, mid-upper arm circumference, and presence of edema of the children were measured according to the WHO references. Then, the nutritional status of the children was identified as a case or control using the cutoff points recommended by the WHO. To see the association-dependent and independent variables, logistic regression analysis was used. Results: A total of 378 children were included in this study (98.44%). Malnutrition was significantly increased among children who delayed breastfeeding initiation(AOR = 3.12; 95% CI: 1.62-6.00), had diarrhea (AOR = 9.22; 95% CI: 5.25-16.20), were living in households indexed as the poorest (AOR = 2.50; 95% CI: 1.12-5.62), defecated in a pit latrine without slab/open pit (AOR = 2.49; 95% CI: 1.17-5.30), collecting drinking water from less than/equal to 1 km distance (AOR = 4.77; 95% CI: 1.01-22.71) and sometimes practiced hand washing at the critical times (AOR = 2.58; 95% CI: 1.16-5.74) compared with their counterparts. However, lactating during the survey (AOR = 0.35; 95% CI: 0.18-0.67), water collection from unprotected sources (AOR = 0.22; 95% CI: 0.05-0.95) and collection and disposal of under-5 children feces elsewhere (AOR = 0.06; 95% CI: 0.01-0.49) significantly reduced the likelihood of malnutrition. Conclusions: Early initiation of exclusive breastfeeding, diarrhea prevention, and the use of improved latrine and handwashing practices at critical times could be important variables to improve the nutritional status of children.


2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (12) ◽  
pp. 1710-1723 ◽  
Author(s):  
LaPrincess C Brewer ◽  
Eleshia J Morrison ◽  
Joyce E Balls-Berry ◽  
Patrick Dean ◽  
Kandace Lackore ◽  
...  

Striking cardiovascular health disparities exist among African-Americans in Minnesota compared to Whites; however, community-based interventions to address cardiovascular disease risk are lacking. This study explored participant perceptions of a culturally tailored, cardiovascular disease prevention program developed using a community-based participatory research process. Research participation perceptions, program benefits, and program satisfaction/acceptability were analyzed using a mixed-methods approach. Overall, acceptability was high. Findings highlight the favorable inclusion of African-Americans (research perception), knowledge gained about healthy lifestyle practices (benefits), and quality of the curriculum/speakers (satisfaction). Community-based participatory research may be useful in fostering the acceptability of behavior change interventions among marginalized African-American communities.


2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raquel I. Sabogal ◽  
Elizabeth Medlin ◽  
Gonzalo Aquino ◽  
Richard J. Gelting

The American Red Cross and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention collaborated on a sustainability evaluation of post-hurricane water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) interventions in Central America. In 2006 and 2009, we revisited six study areas in rural El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua to assess sustainability of WASH interventions finalized in 2002, after 1998's Hurricane Mitch. We used surveys to collect data, calculate indicators and identify factors that influence sustainability. Regional sustainability indicator results showed there was a statistically significant decline in access to water. The presence of sanitation facilities had not changed since the beginning of the project; however, maintenance and use of latrines declined but continued to meet the goal of 75% use after 7 years. The hygiene indicator, hand washing, initially declined and then increased. Declines in water access were due to operational problems related to storm events and population changes. Sanitation facilities were still present and sometimes used even though they reached or surpassed their original design life. Changes in hygiene practices appeared related to ongoing hygiene promotion from outside organizations. These results provide useful input for making WASH programs more sustainable and informing future, more in-depth research into factors influencing sustainability.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. e18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wilma Waterlander ◽  
Robyn Whittaker ◽  
Hayden McRobbie ◽  
Enid Dorey ◽  
Kylie Ball ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosetta Lillian Smith ◽  
Sue Devine ◽  
Robyn Preston

When addressing disparities in health status of Indigenous Australians, it is necessary to consult with Indigenous people to explore their health needs. The process of improving health outcomes is complex; it requires acknowledgement of underlying cultural and social determinants of health and active engagement of Indigenous people to define the issues and identify solutions. The aim of this study is to explore the most appropriate research methodologies to determine Australian Indigenous community members’ perceptions of their health needs. A scoping review was conducted in BioMed Central, CINAHL, Informit Health, MEDLINE Ovid, ProQuest and Scopus databases and Google Scholar for all relevant literature published between 2009 and 2018. Extensive manual searches of reference lists were also undertaken. The limited number of articles relating to needs assessment with Indigenous community members prescribed broadening the scope of the review to include articles that describe methodologies to enhance Indigenous people’s engagement in the research process. Twelve papers met the inclusion criteria. Three major themes emerged: (1) the imperative to develop and implement Indigenist research methodologies; (2) participatory action research (PAR) and community-based participatory research (CBPR) as appropriate methodologies to conduct research with Indigenous community members; and (3) yarning or storytelling as a culturally appropriate Indigenous method of data collection.


2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 76-81
Author(s):  
Sarswoti Singh ◽  
Nil P Dhital ◽  
Rajan Paudel ◽  
Dipak K Sah ◽  
Arjun Hamal ◽  
...  

Introduction Childhood malnutrition is a critical public health concern in Nepal. Slums are supposed to have poor water, sanitation and hygiene practices. This study has aimed to examine association between water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) variables and stunting among 6 to 59 months children of slums of Kathmandu metropolitan city. MethodsDescriptive cross-sectional study design was employed where 335 households were included in the study. Data were collected using standard questionnaire and observation checklist. Weight and height of children were taken using seca digital weighing scale and wooden height board of UNICEF respectively. Anthropometric analysis was done using WHO Anthro version 3.2.2 software and other statistical analysis was conducted using SPSSversion 22 software. ResultsThe prevalence of stunting was 23%. Four out of five household (80%) in slum used to drink water from unimproved source. Absence of handwashing station (AOR=2.109, 95% CI:1.05-3.27) and absence of water storage covering (AOR=2.46, 95% CI: 1.16–5.23) were found to be significantly contributing to stunting status. ConclusionThis study highlights the importance of good WASH practices, and the potential of WASH interventions, to contribute for the improved childhood stunting living in urban slums in Nepal. Also, the findings recommend the need of strategies on purification of water, improvement of toilets, behaviour change and awareness related activities to improve the stunting among children.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alseny Bah ◽  
Alhassanel Diallo ◽  
Alhassane Bah ◽  
Feihu Li

Abstract Background: In Guinea, the incidence and prevalence of children in public primary schools to common disease, e.g., diarrhoeal, malaria, fever, etc. remained pretty high mainly because of the poor water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) conditions and practices. We aimed to evaluate the impacts of WASH conditions in and out of school, health education programs, and the behavioral determinants of pupils on the incidence and prevalence of children. Methods: A questionnaire was designed to collect necessary information on current hygiene conditions of all the studied primary schools, the WASH practices in and out of schools, and the incidence and prevalence of these pupils. The data were collected via a survey of the pupils (n = 1048) from five public primary schools in the center of the city of N’Zerekore, Guinea between December 2018 and May 2019. Using a social survey (questionnaire survey), face-to-face interviews with the headmasters and the teachers of several selected schools, data collection was based on students' knowledge of hygiene practices associated with WASH, hand washing situations in and out of school.Results: It reveals that the WASH conditions in all five schools are inadequate. The water access and quality in four schools over all the five schools are greatly limited by the boreholes or unprotected dug wells. The scarcity of essential hygiene kits, especially in the latrines, disinclined the pupils to use the toilets in schools. The WASH and health educations are also invalid in all schools, and therefore the pupils were ineffectively influenced to change their unhealthy WASH behaviors. Our data indicated that 100% (n = 1048) of pupils don’t wash their hands with soap after defecation in school, and over 87.9% (n = 922) of students don’t wash hands before eating. All the above determinants result in a high incidence and prevalence of children among these pupils, including malaria, typhoid, diarrhea, etc.Conclusion: To improve the WASH conditions and to change the pupils’ unhealthy behaviors in the long term, some effective interventions including the provision of clean water and sanitation and hygiene infrastructure, as well as widespread and effective health education should be implemented.


2019 ◽  
pp. 002216781986652
Author(s):  
David A. Nelson ◽  
Jeff Morzinski ◽  
Mark Flower

Background: Homelessness is about survival and more than an issue of bricks and mortar. It is not a static dimension and alludes to a troubled age and brokenness of society. Despite dramatic declines in numbers of people presently homeless, the issue continues to be a public health issue. The number of veterans currently homeless continues to be of national concern despite application of resources. More needs to be done to better understand the concerns of veterans, once homeless and now housed. Method: Qualitative research in the form of interviews provided insights from the veterans on their experience around achieving housing. Qualitative methods are often used in evaluations as they speak of the experience of the program being evaluated by capturing and then communicating the narratives of the participants. This study was grounded in community-based participatory research where a member of community was a part of all phases of the research process. Results: Seven interviews with formerly homeless veterans were conducted. Themes included the following: Burnt Brides and Regrets, Survival, Spirituality, Recovery and Stress, Supportive Care, Reunite Family, and Sickness and Health. Discussion: The themes provide insight into the experience of the veterans and a means to better understand the healing process. Understanding of the healing process includes the following: Acknowledging the Courage to go Deep, Time, Veterans Giving Back, and Recovery is Ongoing. Despite what was learned, further research is needed to better understand the long-term implications of people formerly homeless now housed.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 164-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paula Melariri ◽  
Liana Steenkamp ◽  
Margaret Williams ◽  
Chwayita Mtembu ◽  
Jessica Ronaasen ◽  
...  

Abstract Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) are vital indicators to healthy living and safe environments for child development. The aim of the study was to determine WASH status and practices in ECD centres located in low socio-economic areas of Nelson Mandela Bay during 2017. This cross-sectional study elicited responses from 46 ECD centres which had a total of 3,254 children and 172 caregivers. A structured questionnaire and visual observation were used. Using core WASH in schools' indicators (WinS) showed that despite improved water sources being available in 91% of the facilities, WinS for hygiene was poor. The study observed that 57% of the respondents had improved toilets accommodating both genders. In 29% of ECD centres, 6–10 children make use of a ‘pottie’ while in 9% of the cases, more than 20 children make use of one ‘pottie’. The use of the bucket system was noted in 22% of the ECD centres. In 79% of the ECD centres, children wash their hands in a communal plastic bowl. Only 11% of the study population washed hands hygienically under a running tap or tippy tap. WASH conditions in the ECD centres in the study area require urgent attention and further investigation for practical solutions. This article has been made Open Access thanks to the generous support of a global network of libraries as part of the Knowledge Unlatched Select initiative.


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