Usability and Acceptability of a SWASH Mobile Intervention for Behaviour Change in WASH Practices

Abstract

Adequate access to Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) is the principal determinant of human health and well-being. However, many African countries are facing challenges in implementing proper WASH practices. The School WASH (SWASH) Mobile App was developed using the Human Centred Design (HCD) approach, which leverages behavioural theories to track school students' sanitation and hygiene behaviours and encourage positive behaviour change. This study examined the usability and acceptability of the SWASH Mobile App. A qualitative research methodology was employed to assess in depth (i) whether the App achieves its intended objective of influencing WASH behaviour change in schools and (ii) challenges that affect its success. A total of 62 people from 20 schools' students, teachers, and community members in Tanzania participated in the study. The results demonstrated that the SWASH Mobile App was widely accepted and highly usable. The study further revealed that the main challenges were costly and unstable internet, difficulties in fetching pictures, and voting and lack of SWASH Mobile App awareness. The study recommends collaboration between schools and telecommunication companies for cost-effective internet access, the use of image compression techniques for faster access to pictures, and a marketing strategy to increase app awareness