Promoting Handwashing Behavior in Peru : The Effect of Large-Scale Mass-Media and Community Level Interventions

Galiani, Sebastian ; Gertler, Paul ; Orsola-Vidal, Alexandra

World Bank, Washington, DC

关键词: ACUTE RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS;    ANEMIA;    ASCARIASIS;    ASCARIS LUMBRICOIDES;    BABY;   

DOI  :  10.1596/1813-9450-6257
RP-ID  :  WPS6257

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

This paper analyzes a randomizedexperiment that uses novel strategies to promote handwashingwith soap at critical times in Peru. It evaluates alarge-scale intervention that includes a mass mediaprovincial campaign and a district-level communitycomponent. The analysis finds that the mass mediaintervention alone had no significant effect on exposure tothe handwashing promotion campaign messages, and thereforeno effect on handwashing knowledge or handwashing behavior.In contrast, the community-level intervention, a morecomprehensive intervention that included several communityand school activities in addition to the communicationscampaign, was successful in reaching the target audiencewith handwashing promotion messages and in improving theknowledge of the treated population on appropriatehandwashing behavior. Those improvements translated intohigher self-reported and observed handwashing with soap atcritical junctures. However, no significant improvements inthe health of children under the age of five were observed.The results are consistent with earlier literature, whichindicates that substantively changing behavior to improvehealth is a complex task requiring intensive and morepersonalized interventions.