Environmental Health Condition of Slum Dwellers of Ijora-Badia Area of Lagos State, Nigeria

Abstract

It has been established that poverty such as lack of access to clean water, inadequate sanitation, poor waste disposal, indoor air pollution and overcrowding in housing, are the major determinants of environmental health conditions of the slum dwellers. In this paper the relationship between environmental condition and health condition of slum dwellers in Ijora-Badia was investigated. Some of the environmental variables were compressed as environmental factors and health condition variables were compressed as health factors. The health factors served as dependent variables while environmental factor served as independent variable and other factors remained constant. Data were collected via questionnaires, personal interview, direct observation and focus group discussion. The research population was based on the total number of existing buildings from which the total numbers of household head were determined and 5% of the total household head population was taken for the interview. Findings reveal that, environmental condition has direct effect on the health of respondents (“P”value for environmental factors is 0.003 which is less than 0.05) the environment has direct effect on the health condition of dwellers. The better the environment the better the health condition of the dwellers. The paper suggests that while a total clearance of the slum in the study areas may not be feasible because of the cost elements, inconvenience and other logistic problems it might cause. It is evidence from the study that the level of deterioration is still redeemable. Programme like Urban Basic Service (UBS) which encompasses provision of facilities, environmental campaign will not only reduce the environmental health risks of slum dwellers but will also usher in a functional, livable and aesthetically pleasing environment. DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2014.v3n4p79