Abebe Thomas Ayalew, Novotný Josef, Hasman Jiří, Mamo Biruk Getachew, Tucho Gudina Terefe
Department of Environmental Health Sciences and Technology, Institute of Health, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia.
Department of Social Geography and Regional Development, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia.
Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2025 Jan;32(5):2668-2681. doi: 10.1007/s11356-025-35887-6. Epub 2025 Jan 14.
Recycling excreta resources through resource-oriented toilet systems (ROTS) holds transformative potential, yet adoption remains limited, especially where benefits could be high. This study aims to understand constraints hindering the adoption of ROTS in one such area in Ethiopia. Based on a survey among 476 households comprising 2393 individuals, we examine the plans to use ROTS and willingness to pay for ROTS and apply structural equation modelling to analyze the drivers of these two outcomes while comparing the explanative power of the extended technology acceptance model, extended theory of planned behaviour, and their combined model. While 40% of households expressed a plan to use ROTS and 20% reported willingness to pay for a subsidized ROTS with a biogas unit, merely 7% revealed both the plan to use and sufficient willingness to pay, highlighting the need to target both these complementary outcomes concurrently. The theory of planned behaviour showed the best explanative power, also revealing that these two outcomes are influenced by partly distinct sets of factors. Findings imply that common efforts to ease objective constraints through subsidies, which incentivize willingness to pay, are necessary but not sufficient for facilitating the adoption of ROTS. To simultaneously enhance intentions to use, it is also recommended to target psychosocial drivers, such as perceived behavioural control and perceived community support, through awareness creation, behaviour change activities, and community engagement techniques.
通过资源导向型厕所系统（ROTS）回收排泄物资源具有变革潜力，但采用率仍然有限，尤其是在潜在收益可能很高的地区。本研究旨在了解阻碍在埃塞俄比亚这样一个地区采用ROTS的制约因素。基于对476户家庭（共2393人）的调查，我们研究了使用ROTS的计划和为ROTS付费的意愿，并应用结构方程模型来分析这两个结果的驱动因素，同时比较扩展技术接受模型、扩展计划行为理论及其组合模型的解释力。虽然40%的家庭表示有使用ROTS的计划，20%的家庭报告愿意为带有沼气装置的补贴ROTS付费，但只有7%的家庭既表示有使用计划又有足够的付费意愿，这凸显了同时针对这两个互补结果的必要性。计划行为理论显示出最佳的解释力，同时也表明这两个结果受到部分不同因素集的影响。研究结果表明，通过补贴来缓解客观制约因素的共同努力是必要的，但对于促进ROTS的采用来说并不充分，补贴能激发付费意愿。为了同时增强使用意愿，还建议通过提高认识、行为改变活动和社区参与技术来针对心理社会驱动因素，如感知行为控制和感知社区支持。
