Environmental Health Noncompliance

A Sanitarian's Search for a New System

Sanitarians often wonder about the effectiveness of their site evaluations, whether or not the client listens and why noncompliance persists. Their academic training emphasizes a three-pronged approach (education, consultation and enforcement) toward the analysis and abatement of sanitation concerns; socio-economic factors, however, emphasize the use of legal means to gain compliance. Enforcement and legal actions push most clients toward short-term compliance; all too often, however, a roller-coaster effect occurs, where noncompliance occurs again and again. Why? This book analyzes the reasons, looking at ways to integrate health behavior models with the existing system to design more effective intervention strategies. Education, consultation and enforcement are melded to produce a more comprehensive approach to site evaluations. Community networking is advanced as an important support system often underutilized by health agencies. In the process, sanitarians are offered suggestions for using these ideas during their site visits.