Faculty Publications

Assessing The Environmental Context Of Hand Washing Among School Children In Limpopo, South Africa

Document Type

Article

Keywords

Hand washing, hygiene and sanitation, quasi-experimental design, South Africa, waterborne disease

Journal/Book/Conference Title

Water International

Volume

42

Issue

5

First Page

568

Last Page

584

Abstract

Despite its simplicity and efficacy, the promotion of hand washing for disease prevention remains a challenge, particularly in resource-limited settings. This article reports on a quasi-experimental school-based study that aimed to improve habitual hand washing. Significant increases in hand washing occurred following improvements in hygiene and sanitation facilities (School A: t = 13.86, p = 0.0052). Smaller increases in hand washing occurred following education (School A: t = 2.63; p = 0.012; School B, no infrastructure improvements: t = 1.66, p = 0.239). Health policy and programming need to pay greater attention to the interplay of the structural, social and individual dimensions of unique contextual environments that influence habitual behaviours.

Department

Department of Geography

Original Publication Date

7-4-2017

DOI of published version

10.1080/02508060.2017.1335140

Repository

UNI ScholarWorks, Rod Library, University of Northern Iowa

Language

en

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