Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, University of Florida, PO Box 110540, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA; Center for Land Use Efficiency, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA.
Center for Land Use Efficiency, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA; Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Indian River Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Ft. Pierce, FL, 34945, USA.
J Environ Manage. 2022 Oct 1;319:115651. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115651. Epub 2022 Jul 4.
Water quality impairment linked to household septic systems presents a significant challenge for environmental management professionals given the costs and complexity of encouraging residents to convert to sewer systems. Septic-to-sewer conversion programs may be more effective if they employ innovative techniques such as social marketing to accelerate engagement, but there is a lack of the necessary formative audience research available on which to promote sanitation-related technologies and behaviors using these types of strategies. We used Diffusion of Innovations theory as a lens through which to view support for septic-to-sewer conversion programs, considering perceptions of relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, and observability as factors (i.e., barriers, motivators) in the decision to convert to sewer. We collected data from 518 septic system owners in the state of Florida, USA. Four out of ten respondents indicated there were septic-to-sewer conversion plans in place in their community, and most of these individuals reported the plans were voluntary rather than mandatory. Residents with plans in place had more favorable perceptions than those without such plans and were largely supportive of septic-to-sewer conversion programs. Ordinal regression revealed compatibility and observability were significant predictors of residents' support for septic-to-sewer conversion. When conversion project status variables were added to the final ordinal model, compatibility remained a significant predictor, and completed conversion status also predicted support. Environmental management professionals should consider using characteristics of compatibility and observability to bolster engagement in septic-to-sewer conversion programs, and consider integrating the influences of other communities with completed conversion programs.
由于鼓励居民转换到污水系统的成本和复杂性，与家庭化粪池系统相关的水质受损对环境管理专业人员提出了重大挑战。如果采用创新技术，如社会营销来加速参与度，那么化粪池到污水的转换计划可能会更加有效，但缺乏可用于推广与卫生相关的技术和行为的必要形成性受众研究。我们使用创新扩散理论来观察对化粪池到污水的转换计划的支持，考虑到相对优势、兼容性、复杂性和可观察性的看法作为转换到污水的决定因素（即障碍、动机）。我们从美国佛罗里达州的 518 名化粪池系统所有者那里收集了数据。十分之四的受访者表示他们所在社区已经制定了化粪池到污水的转换计划，其中大多数人报告说这些计划是自愿的，而不是强制性的。有计划的居民比没有此类计划的居民有更有利的看法，并且大多支持化粪池到污水的转换计划。有序回归显示兼容性和可观察性是居民支持化粪池到污水转换的重要预测因素。当将转换项目状态变量添加到最终有序模型中时，兼容性仍然是一个重要的预测因素，并且完成的转换状态也预测了支持。环境管理专业人员应考虑使用兼容性和可观察性的特点来增强对化粪池到污水的转换计划的参与度，并考虑整合其他已完成转换计划的社区的影响。
