AI Insight
This cross-sectional study of 180 adult residents in Okelele community, Nigeria, found that while 56.7% had good knowledge about proper waste disposal, 55% engaged in poor disposal practices such as incineration, dumping in drains, and open burning. Statistical analysis revealed significant associations between knowledge and both attitudes and practices, indicating that barriers such as lack of waste containers and distance to collection points prevent knowledge from translating into safe behavior.
Why it matters
The findings highlight a critical gap between health knowledge and actual waste management behavior in Nigerian communities, where infrastructure deficits undermine proper sanitation practices. Addressing these barriers through improved waste collection infrastructure and community education could reduce environmental health risks associated with improper refuse disposal in similar low-resource settings.
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⚠️ Preprint – Noch nicht peer-reviewed
Dieser Artikel wurde noch nicht von unabhängigen Experten begutachtet. Die Ergebnisse sind vorläufig und sollten mit Vorsicht interpretiert werden.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Improper refuse disposal remains an environmental health concern in many Nigerian communities. This study assessed knowledge, attitudes and practices relating to refuse disposal among adult residents of Okelele community, Ilorin East Local Government Area, Kwara State, Nigeria. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional community-based study was conducted among 180 adults. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire covering sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge, attitudes and disposal practices. Descriptive statistics summarised responses, and chi-square tests assessed associations between categorical variables at a 5% significance level. RESULTS: Of 180 respondents, 102 (56.7%) had good knowledge, while 87 (48.3%) had negative attitudes and 99 (55.0%) had poor refuse-disposal practices. Commonly reported practices included incineration (50.6%), disposal into drains (30.6%) and open burning (21.7%). Absence of waste containers (37.2%) and distance to available containers (28.9%) were the leading reported barriers. Knowledge was associated with practice (chi-square=22.122; p<0.001) and attitude (chi-square=8.221; p=0.016); practice was also associated with attitude (chi-square=5.970; p=0.015). CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS FOR TRANSLATION: Despite generally good knowledge, poor disposal practices were common. Improving access to reliable waste-collection infrastructure, alongside community education and enforcement of local waste-management measures, may help translate knowledge into safer practices. Keywords: Solid waste; Waste management; Knowledge; Attitude; Health behavior; Nigeria
Source: KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES AND PRACTICES OF REFUSE DISPOSAL IN OKELELE, ILORIN, NIGERIA