In this article the authors study existing waste-disposal intentions and behavior-influencing factors at the household level in Santiago de Cuba. The authors analyze the perceived reputation of the behavior, two different attitude components (sentiment and cost-value ratio), and perceived difficulties. Our focus is to compare three types of waste-disposal behaviors and derive specific interventions. The behaviors most suitable to Cuba are recycling, composting, and reuse. Analysis with structural equation modeling (SEM) reveals relevant differences in factor influence for attitude components and perceived reputation. Recycling and composting are most strongly influenced by affective aspects of attitude, whereas the general attitude toward reuse seems to have a more rational basis. The influence of perceived reputation on recycling is strong, that on composting is moderate, and no influence at all is found for reuse. The authors combine the SEM results with those of the qualitative data analysis of problems and incentives assessed from the participants and suggest behavior-specific interventions.

Solar water disinfection (SODIS) is a simple method designed to treat microbiologically contaminated drinking water at the household level. This study focused on the effective promotion of the SODIS method using various strategies. In a longitudinal field study, we compared 2 interpersonal strategies (promoters and opinion leaders) and a centralized strategy (health fair) with a control group. Indicators of effectiveness were SODIS knowledge, SODIS adoption rate, and potential reach. The results suggest that use of promoters is the most successful strategy in terms of reaching people and changing their behavior toward SODIS use. The opinion leaders-although less effective-show some potential to stimulate communication among people about SODIS. Only the health fair did not have a big impact on behavior. Further discussion includes the costs of the various promotional activities, limitations, and recommendations for future projects.

Solar Water Disinfection (SODIS) is a simple method designed to treat microbiologically contaminated drinking water at household level. This article characterizes relapse behavior in comparison with continued SODIS use after a 7-month nonpromotion period. In addition, different subtypes among relapsers and continuers were assumed to diverge mainly in their intention to use SODIS and their degree of cognition intensity. Data were taken from a longitudinal SODIS promotion study. Cluster analyses were applied to find subtypes among 166 relapsers and 123 continuers. Overall relapsers have lower values for all psychological variables compared to overall continuers. A low-value and a high-value relapser subtype as well as a low-value and a high-value continuer subtype were found. Low-value relapsers differ from high-value relapsers in one central belief (taste), in affective connotation, social norms, and dissonance. Interestingly, high-value relapsers have values almost as high as low-value continuers, differing only in their degree of habit. Only high-value continuers seem to be stable and did not show a decrease in critical habit variables over time. The different subtypes are placed along the behavior change process, and possible interventions for each type are highlighted.

Household water treatment (HWT) has the potential to reduce waterborne diseases in developing countries. In this article, factors from social-psychological theories are analyzed in order to design effective interventions that promote HWT. Two treatment behaviors-solar disinfection (SODIS) and boiling-are compared with untreated-water consumption using data from a SODIS campaign in Bolivia. The main drivers of intention are affective beliefs, health beliefs related to untreated water, and descriptive norms. Behavior is primarily influenced by the habit related to each water type. Strong interrelations between beliefs and the habit related to one water type and the intention or consumption related to the others exist. Future campaigns should not only promote the target health behavior, but also investigate predictors of the health-risk behavior in order to prevent it.

SODIS (Solar Water Disinfection) is a simple method to treat microbiologically contaminated drinking water at household level. SODIS promotion activities in many developing countries are taking place since several years, but only moderate success has been achieved in view of the inexpensiveness of the method and the effort applied for its promotion. One reason may be that SODIS promotion is seldom viewed as a behavior change process and therefore inappropriate measures have been taken to promote SODIS, i.e. to change people's behavior from drinking raw, untreated water to the regular use of the SODIS method. The present study has the focus to investigate more closely which behavioral processes are crucial for a long-term adoption of SODIS and which promotion strategies work better than others in facilitating these processes. Basis of our theoretical framework are psychological behavior change theories and psychological types of interventions. The results show that the continuous use of SODIS is determined by the degree to which an intention has been built and even more importantly, a habit has been established. Motivational factors like knowledge, beliefs and affect can partly explain the intention to use SODIS. Correspondingly, individuals that received situation-focused interventions that explicitly support habit formation treat more of their water with SODIS in comparison to individuals who only received person-focused interventions that had their focus on creating problem awareness and giving information about SODIS. Recommendations for future intervention strategies are given.