Higher interclutch colour variation can evolve under the pressure of brood parasitism to increase the detection of parasitic eggs. Nest sanitation could be a prerequisite for the evolution of anti-parasite defence in terms of egg ejection. In this respect, we used nest sanitation behaviour as a tool to identify: i) motivation and its underlying function and, ii) which features provoke ejection ...

Municipalities make an important contribution to poverty alleviation and economic development, through providing free basic services (FBS) to poor households and investing in infrastructure and associated services that are critical for economic activity (National Treasury, 2008). To deliver these services effectively, municipalities rely on two important sources of revenue. One is from the nati...

Although the world has progressed in the area of water and sanitation, more than 2.3 billion people still live without access to sanitation facilities and some are unable to practice basic hygiene. Access to water and basic sanitation has deteriorated in Chitungwiza and children are at risk of developing illness and missing school due to the deterioration. We sought to investigate the predispos...

Firdausi Qadri and colleagues (July 8, p 1362) reported results from a trial of the oral cholera vaccine, which included an arm combining the oral cholera vaccine with an intervention promoting handwashing and drinking water treatment at home. The authors reported no signifi cant protective effect of the behaviour change intervention over that of the vaccine alone. Despite the authors’ cautions...

This paper discusses some of the recent developments in hygiene behaviour research, focusing on operational research. A series of "rapid' assessments of hygiene behaviour were carried out in Kenya, Tanzania and Ethiopia with a view to preparing a field handbook entitled Hygiene Evaluation Procedures (HEP). The HEP handbook is intended primarily for field personnel in water supply, sanitation an...

BACKGROUND Promotion and provision of low-cost technologies that enable improved water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) practices are seen as viable solutions for reducing high rates of morbidity and mortality due to enteric illnesses in low-income countries. A number of theoretical models, explanatory frameworks, and decision-making models have emerged which attempt to guide behaviour change in...

Problems of the environment and of domestic hygiene are always related to poverty of population and the sanitation of settlements. Most cities and towns in developing countries, like India, are characterised by over-crowding, congestion, inadequate water supply and inadequate facilities of disposal of human excreta, waste water and solid wastes. Inadequacy of housing for most urban poor invaria...

This paper reviews the application of epidemiological understanding of diarrhoeal disease to interventions in water and sanitation. Over the past 20 years, great efforts have been made to elucidate the relationships between water supply, sanitation and diarrhoeal disease. At the outset, it was hoped that improved understanding of these relations could provide a rational framework for the planni...

Land form, management policy and socio-economic characteristics have been identified as factors responsible for poor solid waste management. This study examined the influence of livelihood assets on sanitation/disposal behaviour in Lagos Metropolis: a case Okobaba. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to obtain data analysis. From collected analyzed descriptively, efforts were made identif...