Abstract
Bottom-up public health interventions are needed which are built on an understanding of community perspectives. Project SHINE is a community-based participatory action research intervention focused on developing sustainable water, sanitation, and hygiene strategies with Maasai pastoralists in Tanzania. The aim of the study is to understand perceptions related to water quality and scarcity as well as to assess the potential of the Biosand Filter as a low-cost, low-tech water treatment option. To avoid unintended harms, the community was engaged in identifying potential harms and mitigation strategies prior to the implementation of the filter.Two in-depth interviews and two group discussions were analyzed using thematic content analysis, while three think tanks were analyzed using directed content analysis. The findings highlight a range of concerns regarding water scarcity and quality. The think tank approach was an effective means of engaging the community in identifying potential unintended harms across four dimensions: the physical, psychosocial, economic, and cultural contexts. In addition, two external themes emerged as salient: political harm and harm by omission.
Highlights
Approximately 1.8 billion people rely on a source of drinking water that is fecally contaminated (World Health Organization [WHO], 2015)
The aims of the present study are, first, to explore community perceptions related to water scarcity and quality and, second, to engage the community in identifying potential unintended harms and mitigation strategies related to the implementation of the Biosand Filter (BSF)
Through in-depth interview and group discussion, the study first sought to develop an understanding of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) context, community perceptions, and salient themes related to water scarcity and water quality
Summary
Approximately 1.8 billion people rely on a source of drinking water that is fecally contaminated (World Health Organization [WHO], 2015). Access to safe water is prominent on the international agenda as evidenced most recently in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in which the aim of Goal 6 is to “ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all” (United Nations, 2016). To achieve this requires investments in infrastructure, sanitation facilities, and improved hygiene practices. At the household level, ensuring access to clean water is often promoted through the use of treatment technologies, such as the Biosand Filter (BSF) in LMICs (United Nations Development Program, 2016). A review of four trials examining the health impact of the concrete BSF found that the BSF can reduce diarrheal disease by 50% or more (Stauber et al, 2014)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
