Evaluation of Hygiene and Environmental Sanitation Component of the Rural Health Service Extension Program in Kersa Woreda, Jimma Zone, South Western Ethiopia, 2015

Abstract

Background:The Health Service Extension Program was introduced in Ethiopia 2002 G.C. The overall policy implementation of the program was focused on simply increasing the number of latrines constructed without assessing the utilization and change in Hygiene and Sanitation behavior of households.

Evaluation Objective:To evaluate the extent to which hygiene and environmental sanitation component of rural health service extension program is implemented as intended by Kersa Woreda program implementers by the year 2015 G.C.

Methods and Materials:Community based cross sectional study design was conducted from ­­­ February 23 to March 20, 2015 in selected rural kebeles of Kersa Woreda. Quantitative data was collected using pretested structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 21 program software. Degree of association between dependent and independent variables was examined with a 95% confidence level and a P-value of less than 0.05. Qualitative data was collected using in-depth interview guides and analyzed manually through content analysis. It was triangulated to support the quantitative findings.

Results:From 845 planned study participants in all selected kebeles, 832 households were interviewed with 98.5% response rate. The collected data were analyzed only for 786 respondents since 5.5% of the collected data were inconsistence, incomplete and hence rejected. The average availability dimension is determined to be 88% which is very good in implementation whereas the average compliance dimension is determined to be 83% which is good in implementation. Similarly the acceptability dimension is measured to be 86% which is very good in implementation and utilization dimension is 83% that is good in implementation. The average overall measurement is 85.25 in percentage that is very good in implementation as compared to the preset judgments parameters by the stakeholders.

Conclusion:The availability and acceptability dimensions are very good in implementation while the compliance and utilization dimensions are good in implementation. The overall program implementation is very good in implementation according to the predetermined judgments parameters of program implementers. It was recommended that outcome evaluation should be conducted and achievements in all components of hygiene and environmental sanitation practices should be sustained.

Keywords: Hygiene and Sanitation, Health Extension Program, Rural

DOI: 10.7176/JBAH/13-3-01

Publication date: February 28^th 2023