Occurrence of bisphenol A, nonylphenol, octylphenol and heavy metals in groundwater from selected communities in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Endocrine disruptors (EDs) such as bisphenol A (BPA), nonylphenol (NP), octylphenol (OP) and heavy metals in drinking water supply represent a significant threat to human health. In Nigeria, little is known about the presence of EDs in various environmental media. This study was conducted to determine the concentrations of BPA, NP and OP in groundwater samples from selected communities in Ibadan, Nigeria. Water samples were collected from 30 different sites (26 hand-dug wells, 2 boreholes and 2 spring water sources), 15 from each of Ibadan North-West (IbNW) and Ido Local Government Area (LGA). Samples were collected in triplicate from all the sampling points and analysed for BPA, NP, OP and physicochemical parameters (including heavy metals) using a standard procedure. Bisphenol A and octylphenol were not detected in any samples, while NP was detected in spring water and the concentration (0.00279 mg/L) was less than the maximum allowable limit (0.015 mg/L). All (100.0%) boreholes in IbNW and 100.0% of the springs in Ido LGA showed iron concentrations that exceeded the permissible limit. There is a need for public awareness on the health risk of EDs in drinking water supply and appropriate preventive measures to be adopted.

School water, sanitation, and hygiene inequalities: a bane of sustainable development goal six in Nigeria.

OBJECTIVES: The importance of school water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) in achieving the Sustainable Development Goal targets 6.1 and 6.2 in developing countries cannot be overemphasized. However, widespread WASH inequalities remain an impediment to achieving the targets by 2030. Hence, this study was conducted to examine current school-WASH disparities among public and private schools in a low-income Nigerian community using mixed methods. METHODS: The cross-sectional survey utilized multi-stage sampling to select 400 students from five public and five private schools in Akinyele, Ibadan. Semi-structured questionnaires and observational checklists were used to obtain data. Inferential statistics were measured at a 95% confidence interval. Independent variables like the students' sociodemographic characteristics, school type, and available WASH facilities were associated with dependent variables like respondents' hand hygiene and sanitation practices and WASH-associated knowledge and attitude to examine existing inequalities. RESULTS: Classifying the available WASH facilities based on the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme, none of the public schools provided any sanitation and hygiene service, while all the private schools provided both services. Furthermore, the private-school students had significantly better WASH knowledge (p<0.001; È 2p=0.152) and attitude (p<0.001; È 2p=0.036) compared with the public-school students. Also, a significantly higher portion of public-school students practiced open defecation at school (p<0.001; odds ratio (OR)=7.4; confidence interval (CI)=4.1-13.5) and at home (p<0.001; OR=7.8; CI=3.7-16.7). CONCLUSION: WASH disparities among socioeconomic groups remain a persistent challenge. Sole reliance on the Government to narrow the inequalities has persistently proven unfruitful. There is a need to empower local community stakeholders to facilitate sustainable school-WASH interventions.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIFS: On ne saurait trop insister sur l'importance de l'eau, de l'assainissement et de l'hygiène (WASH) dans les écoles pour atteindre les cibles 6,1 et 6,2 des objectifs de développement durable dans les pays en développement. Toutefois, les inégalités généralisées en matière de WASH demeurent un obstacle à la réalisation des objectifs d'ici à 2030. Par conséquent, cette étude a été menée pour examiner les disparités actuelles entre les écoles publiques et privées dans une communauté nigériane à faible revenu en utilisant des méthodes mixtes. MéTHODES: L'enquête transversale a utilisé un échantillonnage à plusieurs étapes pour sélectionner 400 élèves de cinq écoles publiques et cinq écoles privées à Akinyele, Ibadan. Des questionnaires semi-structurés et des listes de contrôle observationnelles ont été utilisés pour obtenir des données. Les statistiques inférentielles ont été mesurées à un intervalle de confiance de 95 %. Des variables indépendantes comme les caractéristiques sociodémographiques des élèves, le type d'école et les installations de WASH disponibles ont été associées à des variables dépendantes comme les pratiques d'hygiène des mains et d'assainissement des répondants et les connaissances et l'attitude associées au WASH pour examiner les inégalités existantes. RéSULTATS: Si l'on classe les installations WASH disponibles sur la base du Programme commun OMS/UNICEF de suivi, aucune des écoles publiques ne fournit les services d'assainissement et d'hygiène, alors que toutes les écoles privées fournissent ces deux services. En outre, les élèves des écoles privées avaient une connaissance nettement meilleure de WASH (p<0,001; È 2p=0,152) et attitude (p<0,001; È 2p=0,036) par rapport aux élèves des écoles publiques. De plus, une proportion significativement plus élevée d'élèves des écoles publiques pratiquaient la défécation en plein air à l'école (p<0,001; rapport de cotes (RC)=7,4; intervalle de confiance (IC)=4,1­13,5) et à domicile (p<0,001; OR=7,8; IC=3,7­16,7). CONCLUSION: Les disparités WASH entre les groupes socio-économiques demeurent un problème persistant. Le fait de compter uniquement sur le gouvernement pour réduire les inégalités s'est toujours avéré infructueux. Il est nécessaire de donner aux intervenants communautaires locaux les moyens de faciliter des interventions WASH durables en milieu scolaire.

School Sanitation-Related Psychosocial Stressors among Nigerian Students.

Psychosocial stressors are indicative of challenges associated with the social and environmental conditions an individual is subjected to. In a bid to clearly understand the present gaps in school sanitation, this cross-sectional study aimed to identify the sanitation-related psychosocial stressors experienced by students in a Nigerian peri-urban community and their associated impacts. A three-stage sampling technique was used to select 400 students from 10 schools. The students to toilet ratio were 1,521:0 and 1,510:0 for the public-school boys and girls, respectively, and 74:1 and 70:1 for the private-school boys and girls, respectively. Furthermore, public-school students had a significantly higher average stress level (P < 0.001, η2p = 0.071) and a significantly higher proportion of students experiencing school absenteeism (P < 0.001; odds ratio [OR] = 4.8; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.7-8.2), missed classes (P < 0.001; OR = 5.8; CI = 2.8-12.0), long urine/fecal retention time (P < 0.001; OR = 2.9; CI = 1.8-4.7), open defecation practice (P < 0.001; OR = 4.2; CI = 2.5-7.1), and open defecation-related anxiety (P < 0.001; OR = 3.6; CI = 2.0-6.5). Moreover, the inability to practice menstrual hygiene management was significantly associated with student-reported monthly school absence among girls (P < 0.001; OR = 4.5; CI = 2.2-9.4). Overall, over 50% of the respondents had reportedly been subjected to at least 14 of the 17 stressors outlined. The most prevalent stressors identified were concerns about disease contraction, toilet cleanliness, toilet phobia, privacy, and assault/injury during open defecation/urination. In conclusion, results show that the absence of functional sanitation facilities purportedly has a grievous effect on the mental, physical, social, and academic well-being of the students. This was clearly seen among public-school students. Subsequent sanitation interventions need to be targeted at ameliorating identified stressors.

Association between household environmental conditions and nutritional status of women of childbearing age in Nigeria.

Maternal undernutrition remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Nigeria. Yet, most interventional programmes are focused on infant and child nutrition outcomes and not on maternal nutrition-related outcomes. Evidence suggests that the integration of household environmental interventions into nutrition actions can make a difference in reducing the burden of maternal undernutrition. This study examined the influence of household environmental conditions (HHEC) on the nutritional status of women of childbearing age in Nigeria using secondary data from the 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey. The original sample of 38,948 women age 15-49 years was selected using multi-stage probability sampling. The sample for the current analysis was 23,344 after exclusion of women due to health status or provision of incomplete information. The dependent and main independent variables were undernutrition (defined as Body Mass Index below 18.5) and HHEC (generated from cooking fuel, toilet type, source of drinking water, and housing materials) respectively. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square, and logistic regression model at 5% level of significance. The prevalence of undernutrition among women living in houses with unimproved and improved HHEC was 17.2% and 7.2% respectively. The adjusted odds of undernutrition was significantly higher among women who lived in houses with unimproved HHEC (aOR = 2.02, C.I = 1.37-2.97, p <0.001). The odds of undernutrition are greater in young women (aOR = 2.38, C.I. = 1.88-3.00, p <0.001) compared to older, and those of lower wealth status (aOR = 2.14, CI = 1.69-2.71, p <0.001) compared to higher. Other predictors of undernutrition in women of reproductive age in Nigeria include the level of education, marital status, and working status. Living in a house with unimproved environmental conditions is a predictor of undernutrition in women. The integration of environmental and nutrition programmes could assist in addressing this burden in Nigeria.

Wealth status and sex differential of household head: implication for source of drinking water in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Source of potable water has implication on the population health. Availability of Improved Drinking Water Sources (IDWS) is a problem in developing countries, but variation exists across segments of the population. This study therefore examined the relationship between wealth status, sex of household head and source of potable water. METHODS: The 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey data was used. A representative sample of 40,680 households was selected for the survey, with a minimum target of 943 completed interviews per state covering the entire population residing in non-institutional dwelling units in the country. Households where information on drinking water sources was not reported were excluded, thus reducing the sample to 38021. The dependent and key independent variables were IDWS and Wealth Index respectively. Data were analysed using Chi-square and binary logistic regression (α = .05). RESULTS: Households that used IDWS were headed by females (66.7 %) than males (58.7 %). Highest proportion of households who used IDWS was found in the rich wealth index group (76.7 %). The likelihood of using IDWS was higher in household headed by females (OR = 1.41; C.I = 1.33-1.49, p <0.001). Households that belong to rich wealth index and middle class were 5.06(C.I = 4.81-5.32, p <0.001) and 2.62(C.I = 2.46-2.78, p <0.001) respectively times more likely to IDWS than the poor. This pattern was sustained when other confounding variables were introduced into the regression equation as control. CONCLUSIONS: Households headed by women used improved drinking water sources than those headed by men. However, wealth index has strong influence on the strength of relationship between sex of household head and improved drinking water sources.

Hygiene and sanitation risk factors of diarrhoeal disease among under-five children in Ibadan, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Diarrhoea diseases are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in under-five-children (U-5C) in Nigeria. Inadequate safe water, sanitation, and hygiene account for the disease burden. Cases of diarrhoea still occur in high proportion in the study area despite government-oriented interventions. OBJECTIVE: To determine the hygiene and sanitation risk factors predisposing U-5C to diarrhoea in Ibadan, Nigeria. METHODS: Two hundred and twenty pairs of children, matched on age, were recruited as cases and controls over a period of 5 months in Ibadan. Questionnaire and observation checklist were used to obtain information on hygiene practices from caregivers/mothers and sanitation conditions in the households of 30% of the consenting mothers/caregivers. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. RESULTS: Caregivers/mothers' mean ages were 31.3 ±7.5 (cases) and 30.6 ±6.0(controls) years. The risk of diarrhoea was significantly higher among children whose mothers did not wash hands with soap before food preparation (OR=3.0, p<0.05), before feeding their children (OR=3.0, p<0.05) and after leaving the toilet (OR=4.7, p<0.05). Factors significantly associated with diarrhoea were: poor water handling (OR=2.0,CI=1.2-3.5), presence of clogged drainage near the house (OR=2.1,CI=1.2-3.7) and breeding places for flies (OR=2.7,CI=1.6-4.7). The mean risk score among cases and controls from the sanitary inspection of drinking water sources were 5.4 ± 2.2 and 3.2 ± 1.9 (p<0.05) and household storage containers were 2.4 ± 1.8 and 1.2 ± 0.7 (p<0.05) respectively. CONCLUSION: Hygiene and sanitation conditions within households were risk factors for diarrhoea. This study revealed the feasibility of developing and implementing an adequate model to establish intervention priorities in sanitation in Ibadan, Nigeria.