Dirt and Diarrhoea: Formative Research in Hygiene Promotion Programmes

• Published in: Health policy and planning Vol. 12; no. 2; pp. 122 - 131
• Main Authors: Curtis, V, Kanki, B, Cousens, S, Sanou, A, Diallo, I, Mertens, T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Oxford University Press 1997; OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS; Oxford University Press, in association with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
• Subjects: Adult; Burkina Faso; Case-Control Studies; Child Welfare; Child, Preschool; Clinical Trials as Topic; Defecation; Diarrhea - etiology; Diarrhea - prevention & control; Disease Transmission, Infectious - prevention & control; Female; Focus Groups; Health Policy; Health Promotion; Humans; Hygiene - standards; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Male; Motivation; Risk Factors; Burkina Faso; Programs; Public Health; Health; Organization And Administration; Africa; Methodological Studies; French Speaking Africa; Promotion; Research Methodology; Diseases; Marketing; Western Africa; Economic Factors; Burkina Faso; Developing Countries; Africa South Of The Sahara; Diarrhea > prevention and control; Planning; Hygiene
• ISSN: 0268-1080; 1460-2237
• DOI: 10.1093/heapol/12.2.122

Investment in the promotion of better hygiene for the prevention of diarrhoeal diseases and as a component of water and sanitation programmes is increasing. Before designing programmes capable of sustainably modifying hygiene behaviour in large populations, valid answers to a number of basic questions concerning the site and the intended beneficiaries have to be obtained. Such questions include ‘what practices favour the transmission of enteric pathogens?’, ‘what advantages will be perceived by those who adopt safe practices?’ and ‘what channels of communication are currently employed by the target population?’ A study of hygiene and diarrhoea in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, used a mixture of methods to address such questions. This paper draws on that experience to propose a plan of preliminary research using a variety of techniques which could be implemented over a period of a few months by planners of hygiene promotion programmes. The techniques discussed include structured observation, focus group discussions and behavioural trials. Modest investment in such systematic formative research with clear and limited goals is likely to be repaid many times over in the increased effectiveness of hygiene promotion programmes.