In the past ten years or so, the water/ sanitation development community has learned that health-based messages alone do not work to promote sustained changes in the key hygiene behaviors, which are:

•     Handwashing (best at all of the following critical times: after defecating, before preparing food, after   changing a diaper, and before eating)

•     Safe storage of drinking water (best: in a covered container with a narrow mouth or spigot, such that servings are obtained without dipping anything in the water)

•     Safe disposal of adult and children feces; Note that the sanitation community now recognizes that not all communities will jump from open defecation to latrines or flush toilets, but that there is a range of behaviors that can eliminate open defecation in a community and protect against disease transmission, as illustrated in the sanitation ladder.  http://www.irc.nl/page/31737

This page is subdivided into four sub-sections:

A - Behavior change studies and background

B - Medhodologies for hygiene promotion and for educating outreach workers

C - Graphic aids for outreach workers

D - Peace Corps developed resources

Have a suggested resource or comment about this section? Please visit our discussion board.