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. 2015 Aug;6(Suppl 1):S69-74.
doi: 10.4103/0976-9668.166090.

Water and sanitation hygiene knowledge, attitude, and practices among household members living in rural setting of India

Anjana Kuberan  1 , Awnish Kumar Singh  2 , Jyoti Bala Kasav  2 , Satish Prasad  2 , Krishna Mohan Surapaneni  3 , Vandana Upadhyay  2 , Ashish Joshi  4
Affiliations

Water and sanitation hygiene knowledge, attitude, and practices among household members living in rural setting of India

Anjana Kuberan et al. J Nat Sci Biol Med. 2015 Aug.

Abstract

Background: Rural population in developing countries face water, sanitation, and hygiene-related health issues. To objectively highlight these issues, we studied the knowledge, attitude, and practices-related to drinking water and sanitation facilities among the rural population of Chennai, India.

Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was designed involving individuals over 18 years of age living in Thandalam village, Chennai, India. Basic information about sociodemographic profile and existing drinking water and sanitation related knowledge, attitude, and practices was collected using a modified version of previously validated questionnaire and analyzed.

Results: Forty-five percent of the participants were not following any methods of water treatment and among them half of the participants felt that water available to them was clean and did not require any additional treatment. Twenty-five percent of the participants surveyed did not have access to toilets inside their household.

Conclusion: There is a need for intervention to educate individuals about drinking water treatment methods, sanitation, and hand washing practices.

Keywords: Attitude; drinking water; household members; hygiene; knowledge; practices; rural settings; sanitation.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Source of water used for different daily activities by individuals living in Thandalam village of Chennai, India
Figure 2
Figure 2
Quantity of water (L) required for various activities by individuals living in Thandalam village of Chennai, India
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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