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This article charts the progress of a two-year project, carried out by the ODA-funded Environmental Health Programme at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, which has been developing simple and effective indicators for evaluating sanitation

TitleIndicators for sanitation : yardsticks for cleanliness?
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication1995
AuthorsChatterjee, A, Almedom, A
Paginationp. 6-9: 2 fig., 1 tab., photogr., ill.
Date Published1995-01-01
Keywordsbehaviour, children, cultural aspects, disposal, evaluation methods, faeces, field studies, hand washing, kenya, latrines, personal hygiene, rural areas, tanzania, use of facilities
Abstract

This article charts the progress of a two-year project, carried out by the ODA-funded Environmental Health Programme at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, which has been developing simple and effective indicators for evaluating sanitation and a field manual for project staff. The field-trials were carried out in the Tanzanian regions of Siaya and Dodoma, and in central and southern Ethiopia, whose inhabitants include Christians, Muslims, and Animists. The article first focuses on sanitation-related behaviour, stating that human excreta disposal must begin with the improvement of local practices using a step-by-step approach rather than radical change. The project's methods and tools of assessment are outlined, and examples of questionnaires used for direct observation and informal interviewing are shown. The article outlines the variety of sanitation-related behaviour and activities found in the different cultures, but concludes that the main indicators for sanitation in all cultures are the disposal of childrens' faeces and hand washing practices plus sub- indicators such as soundness of latrine structure and availability of hand washing facilities. It concludes that although assessing hygiene behaviour is not easy it can be done by appropriately trained field workers.

Notes8 ref.
Custom 1302.5, 303

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