ABSTRACT
PIP: Sulabh has been involved in research, training, and development in rural areas of 16 states and 2 union territories of India. There are 837 Sulabh branches operating in 301 districts. The objectives vary within projects, but the general aim is to improve the community's sanitation and primary health practices through grass roots level organizing. This study measures the impact of Sulabh Swasthya Yojana (SSY) on attitudes in 3 different villages in Rojoari district of Jammu region in December 1990. The villages included Tatapani, where Sulabh had been active since January 1990, an adjoining village, and a village 30 km away from the adopted village. 50 households from each village were interviewed. The findings were that a much higher percentage of people in the adopted village (81.96%) had a positive attitude toward family planning (FP), pre- and postnatal care, care of the female child, trench latrines, smokeless chulhas, and kitchen gardens. In nonadopted villages there were only 50.3% with positive attitudes, but 70.07% in adjoining villages were supportive. There were few differences in scores between Muslims and Hindus in these 2 villages. Both population groups had higher scores in adopted villages than nonadopted villages. The mean attitude scores showed that 78% of the people in the adopted village had a positive attitude toward FP. The mean attitude score for the adjoining village was 66.36% and 49.6% in the nonadopted village. Scores for pre- and postnatal care were 30% higher in the adopted village and 20% higher for the adjoining village than the nonadopted village. A favorable attitude toward late marriage and higher education of girls was expressed by 81.6% in the adopted village, 76.6% in the adjoining village, and 48.8% in the nonadopted village. All villages supported son preference. Only 43.3% supported sanitary practices in the nonadopted village, while 87.7% supported sanitary practices in the adopted village and 77.6% showed support in the adjoining village. The conclusion is that SSY has had a positive impact on people. The prerequisites for achieving Health for All are identified as appropriate IEC, motivators, resources, and community participation.^ieng
