Practices and Knowledge of Household Residents to Lead Exposure in Indoor Environment in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Lead has been recognized as a serious environmental pollutant known to cause health hazards to people exposed to. Human activities have spread lead widely throughout the environment; hence exposure to lead and lead chemicals occurred from environmental media. Few studies have captured the exposure of people to lead particularly in the indoor environment, thus, this study was designed to assess the practice and knowledge of household residents to lead exposure in indoor environment in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. Ibadan metropolis was divided into three (high, medium and low) density areas based on socio-geographical factors. Using structured, interviewer administered questionnaires, 200 household residents were randomly sampled from each density area. A total of six hundred (600) household residents were surveyed and used for the analysis. Data collected were subjected to descriptive and chi-square statistical analyses. Findings revealed the level of knowledge to lead poisoning was relatively high in medium (52.5%) and low-density areas (60.0%). The smoking habit of the residents in the medium density area (20.5%) was found to be higher than the low-density area (12.1%). The socio-cultural practices carried out by the household residents affect their predisposition to lead exposure and its perceived health hazards. Hence, there is need for widespread campaigns in order to raise awareness among the community members about lead exposure in the indoor environment and its effects, also the need to engage the cleaner fuel technologies.

Keywords: lead exposure; household residents; socio-cultural practices; indoor environment