Climate change and health risks in Mukuru informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya – knowledge, attitudes and practices among residents

BMC Public Health

Research

Johanne Greibe Andersen¹  Per Kallestrup¹  Christian Kraef²  Catherine Karekezi³  Gerald Yonga⁴ 

[1] Center for Global Health, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark;Danish Non-communicable Diseases Alliance, Copenhagen, Denmark;Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany;Department of Infectious Diseases, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark;Kenya Diabetes Management and Information Centre, Nairobi, Kenya;Non-communicable Diseases Alliance of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya;Non-communicable Diseases Alliance of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya;School of Medicine, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya;

关键词: Climate change;    Health Knowledge, attitudes, practice;    Informal settlements;    Slums;    Non-communicable diseases;    Communicable diseases;    Low- and middle-income countries;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12889-023-15281-y

 received in 2022-05-07, accepted in 2023-02-15,  发布年份 2023

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundResidents of informal settlements in Sub-Sahara Africa (SSA) are vulnerable to the health impacts of climate change. Little is known about the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of inhabitants of informal settlements in SSA regarding climate change and its health impacts. The aim of this study was to investigate how inhabitants of an informal settlement in SSA experience climate change and its health impacts and assess related knowledge, attitudes and practices. The study was conducted in Mukuru informal settlement in Nairobi City County, Kenya.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in September 2021 using a structured, semi-closed KAP questionnaire. Inclusion criteria were ≥ 18 years of age and living in one of the three main sections in Mukuru: Kwa Njenga, Kwa Reuben or Viwandani. By spinning a pen at the geographic centre of each section, a random direction was selected. Then, in every second household one individual was interviewed, creating a representative mix of ages and genders of the local community. To assess participant characteristics associated with climate change knowledge multivariable logistic regression was used. Thematic content analysis was performed for qualitative responses.ResultsOut of 402 study participants, 76.4% (n = 307) had heard of climate change before the interview, 90.8% (n = 365) reported that climate change was affecting their community, and 92.6% (n = 372) were concerned with the health-related impact of climate change. Having lived in Mukuru for more than 10 years and living in a dwelling close to the riverside were factors significantly associated with having heard of climate change before (aOR 3.1, 95%CI 1.7 – 5.8 and aOR 2.6, 95%CI 1.1 – 6.1, respectively) and experiencing a climate change related impact on the community (aOR 10.7, 95%CI 4.0 – 28.4 and aOR 7.7; 95%CI 1.7 – 34.0, respectively). Chronic respiratory conditions, vector-borne diseases, including infectious diarrhoea, malnutrition and cardiovascular diseases were identified by respondents as climate related health risks.ConclusionsMost respondents were knowledgeable about climate change and were experiencing its (health-related) impact on their community. This study provides insights which may prove useful for policy makers, intervention planners and researchers to work on locally adapted mitigation and adaption strategies.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s) 2023

【 图 表 】

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Fig. 2