Changing hygiene behaviours: a cluster-randomized trial, Ethiopia

The control group will a main barrier to face-washing was the high cost of soap and receive the same water, sanitation and hygiene intervention that schoolchildren were key hygiene facilitators since they at the end of the trial. [...] We used cluster-randomization since components ture uptake and self-reported hygiene-related behaviours), of the intervention were administered at the community and and these indicators are the subject of the present report. [...] The a The capital town of the WagHemra Zone and the largest urban area in the study area. [...] We found no dif- school principals, all the schools re- ference in the total volume of water col- ceived the curriculum for grades 1–4 Wash station infrastructure lected or frequency of clothes-washing over the study period, with only one The intervention communities had an between the two arms over the course of school failing to implement the inter- increase in wash stations and soap com- the st [...] Taken together, these data support which water and soap were used to wash group was 9 (95% CI: 2–15) percentage the ability of a sustained, intensive water, the child’s face the previous day was points higher in the intervention arm sanitation and hygiene programme to 72% (95% CI: 67–77%) in the interven- than the control arm.