Influence of psycho-social factors on the adoption of community-led total sanitation (Kenya)

The primary objective of sustainable development goal 6.2 is to attain widespread accessibility to sufficient sanitation and hygiene facilities and eradication of open defecation by 2030. One strategy for achieving open defecation free communities involves the implementation of Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS), a participatory method that allows communities to assume accountability for their sanitation behaviours. However, the task of maintaining favourable alterations after the implementation of an intervention continues to provide a significant obstacle. The study was conducted among household members of Lodwar township and Kalokol ward, targeting a sample size of 382 respondents. The objectives of the study were to investigate the influence of perceived health risk, attitude, community norms, perception and ability factors and to evaluate role of self-efficacy on adoption of community-led total sanitation. The research employed a convergent design methodology, which combined quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. Quantitative data were gathered using structured questionnaires while qualitative data was gathered from focus group discussion. The study used stratified technique to group the village units and simple random sampling for selection of household heads. Qualitative results were organized into themes and presented in narratives and direct quotes. The findings revealed that the influence of perceived health risk and knowledge on adoption of latrines after CLTS was significant (AOR=0.023, p<0.05). Perceptions of open defecation was influenced by feelings of disgust, neutrality and traditions tied to latrine presence (R=0.253, AOR=0.218, p< 0.05). Social norms had a 24% variability impact on latrine presence (R=0.240, AOR=0.218, p<0.05), with 30.62% disapproving open defecation. Ability factors yielded a R value of 0.159, with adherence to sanitation practices being significant (p=0.004). Self-efficacy significantly influenced sustainability, with an R value of 0.279 (AOR=0.213, p<0.05), where 13.87% strongly agreed on cues to prevent open defecation (p=0.046). The study concluded that while multiple factors influenced latrine presence, knowledge on perceived health risks and community norms were particularly influential. The study recommends behavioural communication interventions considering Turkana norms and environmental factors for effective sanitation practices.