THE INWISE Scales

  • What are the INWISE Scales?

    The INWISE Scales are survey tools being developed to capture experiences with water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) among students, patients, and staff in schools and healthcare facilities.

  • What distinguishes the INWISE Scales?

    Most WASH measures focus on whether facilities exist and their technical quality. The INWISE Scales, by contrast, capture users’ perspectives and lived experiences. Together, these measures can provide a fuller understanding of who can(not) benefit from reliable WASH access.

  • Can we adapt the tools to our local context?

    The core survey items must remain standardized for global comparability, but we work with partners to ensure cultural appropriateness and relevance. Additional location-specific questions can be added to address particular local needs.

Piloting the SURVEYs

  • How can my organization get involved?

    Partners commit to implementing the INWISE surveys within their existing work in schools or healthcare facilities. This typically involves adding our standardized questionnaires to ongoing monitoring or evaluation activities. Our team provides all necessary materials and training support.

  • Do we need specialized WASH expertise?

    No specialized WASH expertise is required. We provide comprehensive training and support for your team. Basic data collection experience is helpful but not mandatory.

  • What benefits do partners receive?

    Partners gain:
    • Early access to innovative measurement tools
    • Technical support from our expert team
    • Opportunities for co-authorship on publications
    • Membership in a global network of WASH practitioners and researchers
    • Contribution to advancing global WASH measurement

  • Is funding available for implementation?

    While we don't typically provide direct funding, we work with partners to identify how the INWISE Scale can complement and strengthen existing funded activities. We also collaborate on joint funding proposals when appropriate opportunities arise.

Participating in the study

  • Who can participate in this study?

    Students aged 7-19 years
    All teaching staff

    Individuals who cannot communicate independently or with caregiver assistance will be excluded.

  • What will I be asked to do as a participant?

    Participants will either:
    • Take part in cognitive interviews (discussing how they understand survey questions)
    -or-
    • Complete a survey questionnaire about their WASH experiences

    All responses will be collected privately by study staff using tablets.

  • How long will participation take?

    The study involves a one-time session that will take place in a private room at the school. The exact duration will be specified in the consent/assent forms.

  • Are there any risks to participating?

    This is a low-risk study. The main potential risks are:
    • Loss of confidentiality
    • Possible psychological distress from discussing WASH experiences
    • Risks to reputation

    To protect participants, all responses will be confidential and participants can skip any questions or stop at any time.

  • How is the data used and shared?

    Partners maintain ownership of their implementation data while contributing anonymized data to the global dataset. All data sharing follows strict ethical protocols. Findings are used to improve WASH measurement globally and develop targeted interventions.

  • How will participant privacy be protected?

    •All data will be stored on secure, password-protected servers
    •Names will not be linked to survey responses
    •Only trained study personnel will have access to the data
    •Small groups of responses (fewer than 5 participants) will not be published

  • How will the results be shared?

    One-page summary reports with key findings (excluding any identifying information) will be shared with participating schools.