Behavior Change without Behavior Change Communication: Nudging Handwashing among Primary School Students in Bangladesh

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health Vol. 13; no. 1; p. 1
• Main Authors: Dreibelbis, Robert, Kroeger, Anne, Hossain, Kamal, Venkatesh, Mohini, Ram, Pavani K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 14.01.2016; MDPI
• Subjects: Adolescent; Audiovisual Aids; Bangladesh; Behavior; Child; Cleaning; Communication; Decision Making; Elementary school students; Female; Hand Disinfection - methods; Hands; Health Behavior; Health Promotion - methods; Humans; Male; Motivation; Pilot Projects; Risk Reduction Behavior; Rural Population; Schools; Students - psychology; Bangladesh; ISW, Bangladesh; environmental nudges; behavior change; handwashing
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph13010129

Behavior change communication for improving handwashing with soap can be labor and resource intensive, yet quality results are difficult to achieve. Nudges are environmental cues engaging unconscious decision-making processes to prompt behavior change. In this proof-of-concept study, we developed an inexpensive set of nudges to encourage handwashing with soap after toilet use in two primary schools in rural Bangladesh. We completed direct observation of behaviors at baseline, after providing traditional handwashing infrastructure, and at multiple time periods following targeted handwashing nudges (1 day, 2 weeks, and 6 weeks). No additional handwashing education or motivational messages were completed. Handwashing with soap among school children was low at baseline (4%), increasing to 68% the day after nudges were completed and 74% at both 2 weeks and 6 weeks post intervention. Results indicate that nudge-based interventions have the potential to improve handwashing with soap among school-aged children in Bangladesh and specific areas of further inquiry are discussed.