Acceptability of solar disinfection of drinking water treatment in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

Abstract

This research examines the acceptability of solar disinfection of drinking water (SODIS) in a village in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, using constructs from the Health Belief Model as a framework to identify local understandings of water, sanitation and health issues. There has been no published research on the acceptability of SODIS in household testing in Nepal. Understanding the context of water and water purity in Nepalese villages is essential to identify culturally appropriate interventions to improve the quality of drinking water and health. Forty households from the village census list were randomly selected and the senior woman in each household was asked to participate. Baseline data on water sources and behaviors were collected in March 2002, followed by training in SODIS. Follow-up data were collected in June and July 2002. Only 9% of households routinely adopted SODIS. Participants mentioned the benefit of treating water to reduce stomach ailments, but this did not outweigh the perceived barriers of heavy domestic and agricultural workloads, other cultural barriers, uncertainty about the necessity of treating the water, and lack of knowledge that untreated drinking water causes diarrhea. Strategies for developing safe water systems must include public health education about waterborne diseases, source water protection, and a motivational component to achieve implementation and sustained use. In addition, other options for disinfecting water should be provided, given the women's work constraints and low level of formal education.

Socio-environmental drivers of sustainable adoption of household water treatment in developing countries

“…Several conceptual theories have attempted to link socio-environmental characteristics with psychosocial factors, e.g. IBM-WASH, 25 health belief model, 31 a model of communication for water treatment and safe storage, 23 and RANAS. 24 But analysis of such interactions remains a challenge.…”

Solar water disinfection (SODIS): A review from bench-top to roof-top

“…Rainey and Harding [136,151] used the Health Belief Model as a framework to explain acceptability of solar water disinfection in Nepal. In their qualitative approach they found evidence that factors such as perceived risk, perceived barriers, perceived benefits, self-efficacy, and cues to action are connected with SODIS use [136].…”

“…Rainey and Harding [136,151] used the Health Belief Model as a framework to explain acceptability of solar water disinfection in Nepal. In their qualitative approach they found evidence that factors such as perceived risk, perceived barriers, perceived benefits, self-efficacy, and cues to action are connected with SODIS use [136]. Rose et al [123] determined the acceptability of solar water disinfection with focus group discussions and in-depth interviews finding that topics such as ease of use, financial implications, mechanisms of action, and limitations of solar disinfection (e.g.…”

An Assessment of Continued Use and Health Impact of the Concrete Biosand Filter in Bonao, Dominican Republic

“…Although some studies have attempted to measure user compliance and acceptance, there has been little follow-up on the initial positive results seen in randomized controlled trials and other implementation studies. [5][6][7] As a result, there is a lack of robust evidence regarding the sustainability of POU technology, which is measured by continued and effective use, consistent water-quality improvement, and sustained health impact. Existing evidence suggests that continued and effective use and sustained impact based on improved water quality mostly decrease over time, and this decrease is caused by the difficulty of affecting human behavior change, physical breakage of the treatment technology, or lack of physical or economic access to resupply the consumable products or replacement parts.…”