Piloting Handwashing Evaluation Methods in Nigeria

The goal of this study is to gain better understanding of the feasibility of employing rigorous methods to measure and evaluate handwashing behavior for future evaluations. While piloting these methods, we also aimed to describe differences in handwashing behavior, knowledge, perceptions, exposure to handwashing messages between a community that received the Sunlight Villages pilot program and an unexposed comparison community. We implemented a one-time cross-sectional survey and direct behavioral observations in one purposively selected intervention community and one purposively selected comparison community approximately 6 weeks after the Sunlight Villages pilot. Trained data collectors recruited female primary caregivers with at least 1 child less than 5 years old. In a subset of households, we conducted structured observations to directly observe handwashing behavior at critical events.