Assessment of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices on Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene in Some Selected LGAs in Kaduna State, Northwestern Nigeria

Abstract

Access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities is a basic necessity for human livelihood, survival, and well-being. Adequate WASH facilities provision is a critical issue to most developing countries around the world including Nigeria. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding WASH are integral to effective and sustainable WASH facilities provision. This study assessed the level of knowledge, behavior, and practices towards water, sanitation, and hygiene in Kaduna state, Nigeria, with a view to ensuring sustainable WASH facilities intervention in the region. Data collection tools included spot check observation and questionnaire involving 854 participants, selected from five local government areas (LGAs): Chikun, Kajuru, Soba, Kachia, and Zango Kataf. From the results, major drinking water sources were surface waters (52.5%) and unprotected hand dug wells (44.8%); only 46.2% treated their water supply and few (16.6%) used chlorination method. Pit latrine toilets were the major (76.5%) excreta disposal means, and open defecation practices were widespread (41.4%). Level of personal and environmental hygiene understanding was fairly good in all the local government areas, and 65.4% claimed to use water and soap for washing hands after defecation. Incidence of water related diseases is generally low in the area. Despite the commendable findings in the study areas, communities are still at risk due to lack of safe water supply and poor practices of home treatment and excreta disposal. Therefore provision of WASH facilities and WASH education is fundamental for ensuring public health in the study area.

Analysis of Environmental Health Conditions in Obio-Akpo Local Government Area, Rivers State

“…It was common among the respondents not to take any additional measures in making the water safer except for a few. The few respondents that keep their water safe were boiling and using water guard, this is contrary to the study done in the North-western part of Nigeria by Sridhar Okareh and Mustapha [13] where it was indicated that majority of the respondents treated the water before using. The women and children in the study area were responsible for fetching of water, which was in accordance with the study done by WHO across sixty-one 61 countries indicating women were primarily fetching water for the family [14].…”

Point-of-Use Water Treatment Methods and the Microbiological Quality of Drinking Water in a Peri-Urban Community of Bonendale, Douala IV, Cameroon

“…The proportion of households treating their water before drinking using any treatment methods was 86.3%. This finding is higher than the 46.2% recorded by Sridhar [32] in Kaduna) Nigeria. However, this contradicts the findings of Berhanu [33], which showed that the majority (73.5%) of the respondents didn't treat their water at the household level.…”

Determinants of Household-Level Water Treatment Practices in Southern Ethiopia

“… 35 In contrast, the finding is higher than the study conducted in Burie, northwest Ethiopia (19.6%), Bahir Dar, northwest Ethiopia (20%), and northwestern Nigeria (16.6%). 21 , 33 , 36 The disparity could be due to the availability of wuha agar in the local market and distribution from the study zonal health office for water treatment purposes and the ease of use of the chlorination method. 31 , 33 The second dominant household water treatment method is boiling, which accounts for 24% of total households that use household-level water treatment.…”