An assessment of hygiene knowledge and practices: A case study of Choto informal settlement in Katima Mulilo
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Date
2013
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Abstract
About 2.4 billion people globally live under highly unsanitary conditions and practice such poor hygiene that the risks of their exposure to the spread of infection are enormous. The World Health Organization (WHO) has been at the forefront of environmental sanitation over the past years and has developed key materials for the edification of policy makers and technical people dealing with these issues. These materials include sanitation guidelines, “best practices” in hygiene documentation, and general health promotional materials (WHO, 2011).
There is no documented evidence which describes either the practice of hygiene by people in the Namibian informal settlement of Choto, in Katima Mulilo, or their knowledge of the subject. The purpose of this study was an exploration and description of the knowledge and the practice of hygiene among these residents.
An explorative, qualitative study was done. The research sample was comprised of residents of Choto, 18 years of age and older. Face-to-face interviews were conducted and the participants’ statements were recorded by the researcher. The following research ethics were observed during the study: informed consent, permission from authorities, confidentiality and voluntary participation. References from existing literature were also sought. Forty (n=40) Choto residents participated in the study, with 21 females and 19 males interviewed as subjects. The following themes emerged during the analysis: household hygiene and in the surroundings; disposal of human waste; household refuse removal; personal hygiene, including hand washing, water source knowledge and knowledge of hygiene-related diseases.
The researcher’s conclusion is that, although the people in the Choto informal settlement have some general knowledge about hygiene, the extent of that knowledge is quite limited. The knowledge of hygiene is usually not carried out in practice by the residents for various reasons, which include poverty, insufficient water supply, insufficient knowledge and lack of access to sanitation facilities.
The following training is therefore recommended:
home cleaning maintenance, including the proper disposal of domestic and human waste,
the practice of proper storage and handling of water,
proper hand-washing techniques,
how these practices relate to the prevention of hygiene-related diseases.
The Katima Mulilo Town Council should be advised to formulate strategies that will address issues of water, sanitation and hygiene in the Choto informal settlement.
Description
A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Public Health.
Keywords
Hygiene knowledge