Knowledge regarding Water Borne Diseases and its Prevention

 

Arya A¹, Bisht V¹, Pandey U¹, Danu S¹, Simran¹, Kumar S¹, Supriya¹, Chauhan S¹, Dhami T¹, Khati T¹, Haldar P^2*, Nayal P³, Jaiswal P³

¹Student, Pal College of Nursing and Medical Sciences, Anandi Tower,

Nainital Road, Haldwani, Uttarakhand, India

 

ABSTRACT:

Introduction: Poor sanitation and unhygienic water consumption leads huge burden of waterborne illnesses such as diarrheal disease, cholera, typhoid etc. Approximately 88% of diarrheal diseases are attributed to unsafe water supply, inadequate sanitation and hygiene. Objective: The objectives of the study were to identify the existing knowledge regarding prevention of water borne diseases and to find association between level of knowledge on water borne diseases and selected socio demographic variables. Methodology: A quantitative descriptive study design was used and the respondents were selected by enumerate sampling technique. About 150 samples participated in the study. Data was collected by structured knowledge questionnaire. Results: Majority of the 46% samples were in the age group of 13 years. Most of the 42.4% samples who participated in the study were studying in 7^th class. About 31.8% mothers’s education was secondary & senior secondary and about 38 % of the father’s were graduate & post graduate. It was found that majority of the 67% students had average knowledge regarding water borne diseases.  There was significantly no association found between level of knowledge regarding water borne diseases and selected demographic variables (age, education status of the parents and previous knowledge regarding water borne diseases). Conclusion: School going children had average knowledge regarding water borne diseases. It is recommended to conduct awareness programme among school going children regarding water borne diseases and its prevention.

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION:

Availability of safe drinking water is a problem in most of the developing countries. Forty five per cent of India's children are stunted and 600,000 children under five die each year, largely because of insufficient water supply and poor hygienic conditions, reads a report by UNICEF and Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).¹

 

 

 

Water borne diseases are caused due to intake of contaminated water leading to diseases like cholera, typhoid, diarrhoea, dysentery, hepatitis A, polio, arsenicosis etc. Water-related disease is defined as any significant or widespread adverse effects on human health, such as death, disability, illness or disorders, caused directly or indirectly by the condition, or changes in the quantity or quality of any waters.²

 

Children constitute a large segment of population in our country and every day, 6,000 children die of water-related diseases. Young children are more prone to get sick and die from waterborne and sanitation-related illnesses—including diarrhoeal diseases and malaria.³ Worldwide over one billion people do not have access to safe drinking water and about 2.6 billion lack adequate sanitation. Leading to 1.8 million death every year from water and sanitation related diarrhoeal diseases, 90% being children under 5 years, mostly in developing countries.⁴

 

The simple practice of proper hand washing and intake of safe water can aid to eliminate this problem.⁵ Though many programmes are running in schools on safe water supply and sanitation, still it is important for children in school going age to know about water borne diseases and steps of preventing them. This study was conducted among school going children to assess their knowledge on water borne diseases.

 

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

The objectives of the study were to identify the existing knowledge regarding prevention of water borne diseases among school going children and to find association between levels of knowledge on selected water borne diseases and selected socio demographic variables. To achieve the objectives of the study descriptive survey design was adopted. About 110 school going children (12 – 14) years from 6^th, 7^th and 8^th class were selected via enumerate sampling technique from a selected school of Haldwani block, Uttarakhand. The tool consisted of socio demographic proforma and structured knowledge questionnaire categorized into four domains: water and safe water, water borne diseases, prevention of water borne diseases & water purification. Administrative permission was obtained from the Principal of selected schools followed by permission from the class teacher of respective classes. Consent was obtained from the participants and their parents to ensure anonymity and confidentiality. The data collected was analyzed using SPSS version 20. The study used descriptive and inferential statistics.

 

RESULTS:

Section I:

The results showed that that out of 110 samples majority of (42%) samples were of 13 years age. Majority of the (54.5%) samples were boys. Most of the (44%) samples were from 7^th class. Majority of the (91%) samples belonged to Hindu religion. Mostly (32.7%) mother’s education was secondary school only and (39%) of father’s education were graduate and majority of the (59%) samples had no previous knowledge regarding water borne diseases as shown in Table. 1 below.

 

Table 1: Frequency and percentage distribution of socio demographic variables of school children. n = 110

Sample Characteristics’	Frequency/ Percentage (f/%)
Age (in years) 12 years 13 years 14 years	46 (42%) 52 (47%) 1 2 (11%)
Gender Boy Girl	60 (54.5%) 50 (45.5%)
Class 6th 7th 8th	17 (15%) 48 (44%) 45 (41%)
Religion Hindu Muslim Sikh Christian Other	100 (91%) 9 (8.1%) 1 (0.9%) 0 0
Mothers’ Education No formal education Primary Secondary Senior Secondary Graduate Post Graduate and above	28(25.4%) 20 (18%) 36(32.7%) 0 0 26 (23.6%)
Fathers’ Education No formal education Primary Secondary Senior Secondary Graduate Post Graduate and above	18 (16%) 17 (16%) 0 32 (29%) 0 43 (39%)
Previous Knowledge Yes No	45(41%) 65(59%)

 

Section II:

Knowledge regarding waterborne diseases and its prevention is shown in Figure.2 below. It was found that that majority of the 67 (61%) students had average knowledge, 27 (24.5%) of the students had poor knowledge and only 16 (14.5%) of the students had good knowledge regarding water borne diseases and its prevention.

 

Fig.1. Percentage distribution of knowledge regarding water borne diseases and its prevention

 

 

 

Section III:

To achieve the next objective i.e. association between levels of knowledge on selected water borne diseases and selected socio demographic variables it was found that parental father education and previous knowledge regarding water borne diseases and its prevention were not associated whereas, mothers’ education (χ² =13.93, p = 0.030) and age (χ² =11.21, p = 0.024) was found to be associated as shown in Table.2 below.

 

Selected socio demographic variables	Good	Average	Poor	Total	df	χ²	p value
Age	16	67	27	110	4	11.21	0.024
Mothers’ Education					6	13.93	0.030
Fathers’ Education					6	9.142	0.166
Previous Knowledge					2	9.151	0.11

 

DISCUSSION:

In the developing countries, four-fifth of all the illnesses are caused by waterborne diseases with diarrhoea leading to dehydration.⁶ According to World Health Organization (WHO), (80%) of diseases are water borne. In India, over one lakh people die of water-borne diseases annually.⁷ About (72%) of diarrhoea cases occur among under five. Further, inadequate sanitation, lack of water supply, overcrowding and malnutrition further aggravates death rates in children.⁸ In the present study it was found that most of the (44%) samples were from 7^th class. Mostly (32.7%) mother’s education was secondary school only and (39%) of father’s education were graduate which is supported by study conducted by Sameeksha (2018) where it was found that   (36.67%) of student's fathers had secondary level educational and (36.67%) of students mother's were educated upto secondary level.

 

In the present study it was found that majority of the 67 (61%) students had average knowledge which was consistent with a study conducted by Sibiya J E and Gumbo J R (2013) where about (60%) of students had knowledge regarding waterborne diseases. In this study, mothers’ education (χ² =13.93, p = 0.030) was found to be associated with level of knowledge regarding prevention of water borne diseases which is supported by a study conducted by Sameeksha (2018). (2018).  The existing knowledge regarding water borne diseases among school children was average which also gives us hope that we can further improve their knowledge regarding water diseases by emphasising on hand washing practices and drinking safe water.

 

CONCLUSION:

In the present study it was found that school children had average knowledge regarding water borne diseases. Environmental condition also plays an important role in spreading of water borne diseases. Hence, it is important to spread awareness in children regarding prevention of water borne diseases which can be done with participation of parents thereby preventing diseases like diarrhea, dysentery, hepatitis and worm infestation.

 

 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

We would like to acknowledge school children for their participation on our study. Also we would like to thank principal of selected school for granting us permission to conduct study.

 

CONFLICT OF INTEREST:

None Declared .

 

SOURCE OF FUNDING:

None.

 

REFERENCES:

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6.      WHO. Drastic Consequences of Diarrhoeal diseases. WHO; 2014.

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8.      Water-borne diseases are lethal threat to children in southern Somalia [Internet]. 2011 [updated on 18^th Aug 2011; cited on 24^th Sept 2019]. Available from: https://www.unicef.org/media/media_59585.html

9.      Sibiya J E and Gumbo J R. Knowledge, Attitude and Practices (KAP) Survey on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Selected Schools in Vhembe District, Limpopo, South Africa. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2013;10(6):2282-95

 

 

 

 

Received on 24.09.2019         Modified on 03.10.2019

Accepted on 12.10.2019      ©A&V Publications All right reserved