02650nas a2200409   4500000000100000008004100001260003400042653005700076653002100133653002800154653002000182653001400202653001700216653002000233653001300253653000900266100001300275700001300288700001200301700001400313700001100327700001200338700001400350700001200364700001800376700001400394700001400408700001200422700001500434700001200449245016700461856009300628300001400721490000700735520147300742022002502215       2023                            d  bOxford University Press (OUP)10aPublic Health, Environmental and Occupational Health10aGeneral Medicine10aHealth (social science)10aBehavior Change10achampions10agamification10aSchool children10aTrachoma10aWASH1 aCaplan N1 aSanka BC1 aMulat A1 aBrener DT1 aBaum S1 aSeifu A1 aKesete NZ1 aBruck M1 aWohlgemuth LG1 aDebela MM1 aWeekes RB1 aSabar G1 aBentwich Z1 aGolan R00aMotivating school communities towards behavior change and local ownership: a gamification intervention to prevent trachoma at primary schools in southern Ethiopia  uhttps://academic.oup.com/inthealth/article-pdf/15/Supplement_2/ii38/53979166/ihad081.pdf  aii38-ii430 v153 a<p><strong>Background:</strong> Ethiopia alone carries 49% of the global burden of trachoma, associated with a lack of safe water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and poor health practices. The aim of this study was to examine whether gamification among schoolchildren and promotion of local ownership of school WASH is associated with healthy behaviors and WASH infrastructure improvements.</p>

<p><strong>Methods:</strong> Application of the Accelerate gamification intervention for elimination of trachoma, with an emphasis on gamification among schoolchildren and community involvement in motivating face-washing, handwashing and functional use of latrines, was undertaken.</p>

<p><strong>Results:&nbsp;</strong>At baseline, students were observed washing their hands after using latrines in 23 (10.3%) schools. This increased to 132 (59%) schools (p<strong>≤</strong>0.001) at follow-up. The number of latrines increased from 585 at baseline to 594 at follow-up (p=0.031). The availability of handwashing stations in schools increased from 31 (13.9%) with water access (8%) and soap (5%) to 155 (69.5%) schools with handwashing stations with water access in 153 (98.7%) (p&lt;0.001) and soap in 121 (78%) (p&lt;0.001).</p>

<p><strong>Conclusions:</strong> Motivational strategies such as gamification among schoolchildren and promotion of local ownership of school WASH may be associated with healthy behaviors and WASH infrastructure improvements.</p>
  a1876-3413, 1876-3405