Rural and peri-urban households’ handwashing behaviour before the COVID-19 pandemic: Implications for managing it in North-western Ghana

Abstract

Good hygiene and handwashing remain important in public health, particularly in localities with low or no basic water and sanitation facilities. Using the Integrated Behavioural Model for water and hygiene, this study analysed key factors that shape handwashing behaviour and practices and the implications for managing the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was conducted using 20 rural and peri-urban communities in Ghana. Data gathered from 332 households and 20 focus group discussions indicated respondents have considerable knowledge of the significance of effective handwashing with soap, especially at critical moments. Although the practice of handwashing has been promoted in all the study communities, none of the households had a handwashing station. The respondents however argued that the absence of a handwashing station does not imply they do not wash their hands, especially at critical moments. Access to water, ability to buy soap, gender, and long hours of staying on distant farms shaped handwashing behaviour and practices. Although the study was conducted prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the findings have substantial implications for the fight against the pandemic. Given that households are knowledgeable of the importance of handwashing, re-iterating the practice and intensifying advocacy on behavioural change, especially in the COVID-19 pandemic will reinvigorate handwashing.

Keywords:

• Critical handwashing moments
• handwashing behaviour
• COVID-19 pandemic
• Ghana
• Integrated behavioural model

Acknowledgments

We acknowledge the financial support of WaterAid Ghana in collecting the data. We also acknowledge the Field Assistants support in administering the households’ questionnaire.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Correction

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the WaterAid Ghana .

Notes on contributors

Nicholas Fielmua

Nicholas Fielmua is a Senior Lecturer with the SDD University of Business and Integrated Development Studies in Ghana. He holds a PhD in Planning, specialising in Water Governance from the University of Reading, United Kingdom. His research areas include water governance in rural and small towns; collective action around natural resource management; irrigation management and livelihood enhancement; and water, sanitation, and hygiene behaviours.

Jennifer Dokbila Mengba

Jennifer Dokbila Mengba holds an Mphil in Planning from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana. Her research covers water resources, gender, mining and local governance.

Enoch Akwasi Kosoe

Enoch Akwasi Kosoe (PhD) is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Environment and Resource Studies, SDD University of Business and Integrated Development Studies, Ghana, whose research focuses on water, sanitation and environmental health, and environmental resource management. I hold PhD in Social Administration from the University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana, MSc in Environmental Resource Management from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana and BA in Integrated Development Studies from the University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana. He has several research articles.