Assessing hygiene cost-effectiveness: a methodology

This working paper offers a methodological framework to assess the cost effectiveness of  hygiene interventions based on preliminary test observations in Ghana, Burkina Faso, Mozambique and Andhra Pradesh, India. The methodology is designed to:

• Capture the financial costs of labour and materials associated with the intervention, using a three-step approach. First, costs are categorised (e.g., investment costs, maintenance costs, etc.); second, data is gathered and basic statistic treatments are applied; finally, other economic costs (e.g., cost of health) are valued as financial costs.
• Examine three key household hygiene behaviours: faecal containment and latrine use, handwashing with soap, and drinking-water management; and assess their levels of effectiveness. The levels – defined in a hygiene effectiveness ladder – allow for the systematic categorisation of hygiene behaviour data; from ‘not effective’ to ‘improved’. Several flowcharts are also introduced as tools to simplify data capture and the identification of failure points (if any), within the chain of events of certain hygienic practices and behaviours.