Media Access is Associated with Knowledge of Optimal Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Practices in Tanzania

Abstract

The importance of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) behaviors in low- and middle-income countries in preventing childhood illness is well established. Tanzania is known to have high rates of chronic malnutrition and childhood stunting—both of which have been linked to poor WASH practices. Interviews were conducted with 5000 primary caregivers of children aged 0–23 months. Four composite WASH knowledge variables were created to assess the relationship between WASH knowledge and access to different forms of media, such as television, radio, and mobile phones. WASH knowledge variables measure knowledge of when to wash hands, the need for soap when washing hands, when to wash a baby’s hands, and how eating soil or chicken feces can affect a baby’s health. Logistic and linear regression analyses were conducted to measure the association between media access and WASH knowledge. Having watched television was positively associated with higher WASH knowledge indicators (all p < 0.05). Higher WASH knowledge was positively associated with more frequent handwashing after cleaning a baby’s bottom (all p < 0.0001). The quantity of media access also had a positive linear effect on handwashing; more media items owned was associated with increases in handwashing. Study findings indicate media access is associated with WASH knowledge among caregivers in resource-poor settings.

Use of Technology to Access Health Information/Services and Subsequent Association With WASH (Water Access, Sanitation, and Hygiene) Knowledge and Behaviors Among Women With Children Under 2 Years of Age in Indonesia: Cross-sectional Study

“…While this is the first finding of this type in Indonesia, the positive relationship between technology usage and WASH knowledge has been highlighted in previous research conducted in other countries. Previous research in rural Tanzania evaluated how media access impacts WASH knowledge and behaviors [ 10 ]. Media access in the Tanzanian study included listening to the radio, watching television, or having WhatsApp on a smartphone.…”

“…Like our study, results from the Tanzanian study showed a similar positive trend regarding technology access and increased handwashing. Specific findings from the Tanzanian study showed that participants who watched television had a positive correlation with increased WASH knowledge [ 10 ]. One potential reason for similar findings is that IMA–World Health sponsored the WASH media campaign in both countries.…”

“…Individuals can obtain health information from a variety of traditional print, radio, or television media, which have been effective components of health communication interventions [ 9 , 10 ]. In recent years, interventions addressing health behaviors have used emerging technologies, starting with SMS text messages.…”

“…For instance, one study in the Changning District of Shanghai, China, found that 26.2% of pregnant mothers used an app to learn about nutrition and to record their diet [ 13 ]. A review of 4 studies of women in urban and rural low and lower middle-income countries (Indonesia, Kenya, and 2 in India) shows that mobile health interventions improve nutrient intake of pregnant women [ 10 , 14 ]. Specific to Indonesia, smartphone users are estimated to be more than 150 million, or approximately 56% of the population [ 15 ].…”

A hierarchical Bayesian Belief Network model of household water treatment behaviour in a suburban area: A case study of Palu—Indonesia

“…An answer to the question "how often do you watch TV?" (frequency watching TV) was used to represent information access, especially to mass media [32,33]. For variable water-related health problem, we used information on the incidence of diarrhea among children below the age of five in the preceding two weeks of the time of the visit.…”