Sabogal Raquel I, Medlin Elizabeth, Aquino Gonzalo, Gelting Richard J
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, National Center for Environmental Health, Division of Emergency and Environmental Health Services,4770 Buford Highway NE, Chamblee, Georgia 30341, US.
American Red Cross, Water and Sanitation Delegate-Latin America and Caribbean Region, Quality and Learning Unit, Albrook, Calle Jorge Bolívar Alemán Estévez, Edificio # 453, Panama City, Panama.
J Water Sanit Hyg Dev. 2014;4(1):89-99. doi: 10.2166/washdev.2013.130.
The American Red Cross and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention collaborated on a sustainability evaluation of post-hurricane water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) interventions in Central America. In 2006 and 2009, we revisited six study areas in rural El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua to assess sustainability of WASH interventions finalized in 2002, after 1998's Hurricane Mitch. We used surveys to collect data, calculate indicators and identify factors that influence sustainability. Regional sustainability indicator results showed there was a statistically significant decline in access to water. The presence of sanitation facilities had not changed since the beginning of the project; however, maintenance and use of latrines declined but continued to meet the goal of 75% use after 7 years. The hygiene indicator, hand washing, initially declined and then increased. Declines in water access were due to operational problems related to storm events and population changes. Sanitation facilities were still present and sometimes used even though they reached or surpassed their original design life. Changes in hygiene practices appeared related to ongoing hygiene promotion from outside organizations. These results provide useful input for making WASH programs more sustainable and informing future, more in-depth research into factors influencing sustainability.
美国红十字会与美国疾病控制与预防中心合作，对中美洲飓风过后的水、环境卫生与个人卫生（WASH）干预措施进行了可持续性评估。2006年和2009年，我们回访了萨尔瓦多、危地马拉、洪都拉斯和尼加拉瓜农村地区的六个研究区域，以评估在1998年米奇飓风过后于2002年完成的水、环境卫生与个人卫生干预措施的可持续性。我们通过调查收集数据、计算指标并确定影响可持续性的因素。区域可持续性指标结果显示，供水可及性出现了具有统计学意义的下降。自项目开始以来，卫生设施的存在情况没有变化；然而，厕所的维护和使用有所下降，但在7年后仍继续达到75%的使用率目标。个人卫生指标（洗手）最初下降，然后上升。供水可及性的下降是由于与风暴事件和人口变化相关的运营问题。尽管卫生设施已达到或超过其原始设计寿命，但它们仍然存在，有时仍在使用。个人卫生习惯的变化似乎与外部组织持续开展的个人卫生宣传有关。这些结果为使水、环境卫生与个人卫生项目更具可持续性提供了有用的参考，并为未来更深入研究影响可持续性的因素提供了信息。
