Knowledge and practices of households on safe water chain maintenance in a slum community in Kampala City, Uganda.
10.1186/s12199-019-0799-3
- Author:
Charles SSEMUGABO
1
;
Solomon Tsebeni WAFULA
2
;
Rawlance NDEJJO
2
;
Frederick OPORIA
2
;
Jimmy OSURET
2
;
David MUSOKE
2
;
Abdullah Ali HALAGE
2
Author Information
1. Department of Disease Control and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda. cssemugabo@musph.ac.ug.
2. Department of Disease Control and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda.
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Households;
Maintenance;
Safe water chain;
Slum;
Uganda
- MeSH:
Adult;
Cross-Sectional Studies;
Drinking Water;
analysis;
Family Characteristics;
Female;
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice;
Humans;
Hygiene;
Male;
Middle Aged;
Poverty Areas;
Sanitation;
statistics & numerical data;
Uganda;
Urban Population;
statistics & numerical data;
Water Supply;
statistics & numerical data;
Young Adult
- From:Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine
2019;24(1):45-45
- CountryJapan
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND:More than half of the disease burden in Uganda can be prevented through improving water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). In slum communities, water supply is insufficient but also highly contaminated; therefore, ensuring that the safe water chain is maintained by households is paramount to preventing water-related diseases. This study aimed at assessing knowledge and practices of households on safe water chain maintenance in slum communities in Kampala City, Uganda.
METHODS:This was a community-based cross-sectional study carried out among 395 households in slum communities in Kampala, Uganda. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. Prevalence ratios (PRs) and their 95% confidence intervals were used as a measure of association between safe water chain management and associated knowledge and practice factors. The PRs were obtained using a multivariable modified Poisson regression with logarithm as the link function, with robust standard errors.
RESULTS:Majority (76.7%, 303/395) of the households collected their water from a piped water system and paid for the water (72.9%, 288/395). Almost all (97.2%, 384/395) of the participants said that they knew the dangers associated with drinking unsafe water, boiled their drinking water (95.4%, 377/395), and used storage containers that minimize contamination (97.0%, 383/395). However, only (32.4%, 128/395) of the households satisfactorily maintained the safe water chain. Female- (adjusted PR = 1.82, 95% CI (1.19-2.78)) and student-led households (adjusted PR = 1.58, 95% CI (1.03-2.41)) and those whose heads had attained post-primary education (adjusted PR = 1.48, 95% CI (1.02-2.17)) were more likely to satisfactorily maintain the safe water chain. This was similar among members who thought most contamination occurs during storage (adjusted PR = 1.47, 95% CI (1.10-1.97)).
CONCLUSION:Only a third of the households maintained the safe water chain satisfactory. Female-led, student-led, and post-primary educated-led household and household that thought most contamination occurs during storage were more likely to maintain the safe water chain. There is a need to improve the level of awareness about the importance of the safe water chain among slum dwellers.
