Abstract
It is not sufficient to provide people at risk of consuming contaminated water with safe water facilities. For various reasons, they might not use these facilities properly or regularly, or they might not use them at all. Consumers have to be motivated to use them. They will change their habits if they, for example, are convinced of the positive health effects of these filters, like the taste of the water, perceive the price as reasonable, think that others approve, think that it does not require too much additional effort etc..
The key to persuading people to change their behavioural habits and to use a safe water source is to understand their motivations. Once we understand these, we can carry out targeted campaigns to change their behavioural habits. This process is called “behaviour change”. This is an evolving field and it is important to note that the dignity, participation and choice of the participants should always be respected. Furthermore such techniques should be applied only when viable and sustainable solutions (e.g., for the provision of safe water) are available and with active support and participation of responsible institutions.
A general procedure for behaviour change consists of 9 steps:
1 Define the target population and the desired behaviour (i.e. continual use of a safewater source).
2 Obtain an impression of the conditions that favour or hinder this behaviour.
3 Catalogue all possible factors that determine the behaviour.
4 Develop a questionnaire to measure the importance of behavioural factors.
5 Conduct a representative survey (baseline survey).
6 Use the survey results to determine the factors that steer the target behaviour.
7 Define and design campaigns (interventions) to change peoples’ perceptions of these factors.
8 Define suitable communication channels.
9 Evaluate the effectiveness of the behaviour change techniques and their long-term effects.
The key to persuading people to change their behavioural habits and to use a safe water source is to understand their motivations. Once we understand these, we can carry out targeted campaigns to change their behavioural habits. This process is called “behaviour change”. This is an evolving field and it is important to note that the dignity, participation and choice of the participants should always be respected. Furthermore such techniques should be applied only when viable and sustainable solutions (e.g., for the provision of safe water) are available and with active support and participation of responsible institutions.
A general procedure for behaviour change consists of 9 steps:
1 Define the target population and the desired behaviour (i.e. continual use of a safewater source).
2 Obtain an impression of the conditions that favour or hinder this behaviour.
3 Catalogue all possible factors that determine the behaviour.
4 Develop a questionnaire to measure the importance of behavioural factors.
5 Conduct a representative survey (baseline survey).
6 Use the survey results to determine the factors that steer the target behaviour.
7 Define and design campaigns (interventions) to change peoples’ perceptions of these factors.
8 Define suitable communication channels.
9 Evaluate the effectiveness of the behaviour change techniques and their long-term effects.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Geogenic contamination handbook. Addressing arsenic and fluoride in drinking water |
| Editors | Annette Johnson, Anja Bretzler |
| Place of Publication | Dübendorf, Schweiz |
| Publisher | Swiss Federal Institut of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag) |
| Pages | 110-133 |
| Publication status | Published - 2015 |