INTRODUCTION:

Household Waste, also known as domestic waste or residential waste is refuse generated by households. Refuse from households can also include some forms of hazardous waste and can originate from household cleaners, batteries, or oils. These types of waste need to be handled in a safe manner to ensure that they will not find their way into the environment and become a threat to both humans and animals¹.

However, health professionals need to have a basic knowledge of the subject since improper disposal of waste constitutes a health hazard. Further the health professional may be called upon to give advice in some special situations, when there is a disruption or breakdown of community health services in natural disasters².

Sanitation means hygiene, keeping the environment clean and adopting hygienic practices can prevent us from many diseases that are caused due to unhygienic practices and environment³. Safe disposal of waste is one of the practices that promote our health. Waste prevention strategies include, three ‘R’-they are reduced, reuse, and recycle⁴.

NEED AND SIGNIFICANCE:

Poor waste disposal practices are responsible for a significant proportion of the world’s infectious disease burden⁵. Promoting source reduction is important because it conserves resources reduces disposal costs and pollution and teaches conservation and prevention. Improper disposal of trash can also encourage pests, which can carry diseases and may expose people to contaminants that leach out of the trash⁵.

OBJECTIVES:

1. To assess the level of knowledge regarding household waste disposal among women, Chittattukara.

2. To assess the attitude on household waste disposal among women, Chittattukara.

3. To assess the practice on household waste disposal among women, Chittattukara.

4. To associate the level of knowledge and practice on household waste disposal among women with selected demographic variables.

5. To prepare and distribute an information leaflet on household waste disposal.

ASSUMPTIONS:

1. There may be poor waste disposal practices among women with inadequate knowledge regarding waste disposal

2. Attitude influences the waste disposal practice of women.

HYPOTHESIS:

H1: There is a significant association between knowledge on waste disposal and demographic variables.

H2: There is no association between knowledge on waste disposal and demographic variables.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:

The research approach and design adopted for the study is quantitative approach and descriptive survey design. Population in this study consists 100 of women of Chittatukara, Elavally, Grama Panchayath who were selected using convenient sampling technique.

Inclusion criteria:

1. Who are willing to participate in the study.

2. Who are present during the time of data collection.

3. Who can understand Malayalam.

4. A women from each house.

Exclusion criteria:

1. Who are not willing to participate.

2. Who are not present during the time of survey.

3. Who do not know Malayalam.

Data Collection Procedure:

The study was conducted after obtaining permission from the principal of Amala College of nursing. The data collection was done on 13/2/19. The investigator met the participants; self introduced and explained the purpose of the study. Consent was taken from the samples. Questionnaire given and samples were asked to fill the questionnaire. At the end of the successful data collection to enhance their knowledge an information leaflet on household waste disposal was distributed to the sample.

RESULT AND DISCUSSION:

Section A. Distribution of Subjects According to Demographic Variables.

Table 1: shows distribution of samples according to age. N=100

Sl. No.	Age (Years)	Frequency	Percentage (%)
1	20-30	14	14
2	31-40	13	13
3	41-50	24	24
4	51-60	18	18
5	>60	31	31

Table 2: show distributions of samples according to their occupation. N=100

Sl. No.	Occupation	Frequency	Percentage (%)
1	Daily wage	20	20
2	Government job	3	3
3	Business	7	7
4	Homemaker	70	70

Figure 1: show frequency distribution of samples according to their education status. N=100

Other Demographic Variables:

Religion:

Among 100 samples most of them belongs to Christian community (47%) and least of them belongs to Muslim community (15%).

Income:

Among 100 samples, most of them have (45%) an income of 6327-18949; and only (1%) of them have an income range ≥63179.

Type of Family:

Among 100 samples most of the families (76%) are nuclear families. DIET: Among 100 samples 90% of the family prefers non vegetarian foods.

Treatment of Choice:

Among 100 samples, most of the families (87%) prefer Allopathy as treatment of choice.

Domestic Animals:

Most of the families (81%) have no domestic animals

Total Land Area Owned:

Among 100 samples, most of them (48%) have land area

Section B:

Classification of Samples According to Their Level of Knowledge

Table 2: shows frequency distribution based on the level of knowledge of people regarding waste disposal. N=100

Sl No.	Level of Knowledge		Frequency	Percentage (%)
Sl No.		Score	Frequency	Percentage (%)
1	Excellent	16-20	21	21
2	Good	11-15	67	67
3	Average	6-10	12	12
4	Poor	1-5	0	0

Section C.

Classification of Subjects According to Their Attitude.

Table 3: shows frequency distribution of samples according to their attitude. N=100

Sl. No.	Level of Attitude		Frequency	Percentage (%)
Sl. No.		Score	Frequency	Percentage (%)
1	Very Good	68-80	39	39
2	Good	51-67	49	49
3	Average	34-50	11	11
4	Poor	17-32	1	1
5	Very Poor	0-16	0	0

Section D: Classification of Subjects Based on Their Practice.

Table 4: shows frequency distribution of subjects according to their practice. N=100

Sl. No.	Level of Practice		Frequency	Percentage (%)
Sl. No.		Score	Frequency	Percentage (%)
1	Proper	8-10	5	5
2	Average	5-7	57	57
3	Improper	<5	38	38

Section E: Association of selected demographic variables with knowledge and practice.

Knowledge: Knowledge has significant association with Age, Education, Occupation, Type of family and total land area owned.

Practice: Practice has significant association with all selected demographic variables.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

· Similar study can be conducted with large number of samples.

· The duration of study could be increased.

· Appropriate instructions could be planned to solve the limitations.

· Emphasize should be given on multidisciplinary supervision.

LIMITATIONS:

The study was only to the women who were present in their houses during the time of data collection.

NURSING IMPLICATIONS:

The study indicates that the women have good knowledge about household waste disposal. The study serves as a guiding point towards identifying the level of knowledge, attitude, practice and the demographic variables.

The implications of this study were discussed under the following headings:

Nursing education

Nursing administration

Nursing practice

Nursing research

Nursing Education:

Nursing education should focus on teaching women regarding proper household waste disposal practices. Nurse educators can stress upon this by conducting health education and awareness programmes on this aspect. An effective education to women will enlighten their knowledge regarding household waste disposal. Nurse educators should continuously update their knowledge with latest research findings and provide health education programmes to women.

Nursing Administration:

· Adequate provision can be made by the nursing administrators to provide education to women.

· Administrative support should be provided to public health nurses to implement health education programmes.

· Efficiency of the health education programmes has to be ascertained and suitable modifications can be brought about in content and plan of the programmes.

Nursing Practice:

In community settings, a public health nursecan take the initiative to asses and provide health education about proper household waste disposal practices.

Nursing Research:

Waste generation is a vibrant issue in our society. Improper waste management will lead to variety of communicable diseases. So, there is a wide opportunity to conduct research on the proper waste disposal practices. The nurse researcher can conduct the study in large population settings. The findings can be utilized while providing health education regarding proper waste disposal practices.

REFERENCES:

1. Park k, Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 23^rdEdition, M/s Banarsidas Bhanot Publications, Page no; 699.

2. Gupta Piyush, Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 3^rdEdition, CBS Publishers, Page no; 89.

3. Stanhope Marcia, Jeanette Lancaster, Foundations of Nursing in Community, 3^rdEdition, Elsevier Publications, Page no; 90.

4. Larry J Stephens and Murray R Spiegel, Statistics, Tata McGraw Hill Education Publishers, 4^thedition.

5. Basavanthappa T B Essentials of Community Health Nursing, Jaypee Publications, 1^st Edition.

6. Paneerselvam R., Research Methodology, (6^th edition); Asok K Publishers, New Delhi.

7. Sharma K Suresh, Nursing Research and Statistics (2^nd edition); Elsevier Publications India Pvt Ltd.

8. Raj Baskar aElakkuvana D, Nursing Research and Biostatistics; EMMES Medical Publishers, Rajajnagar, Bangalore; Page no: 74-75.

9. Nieswiadomy Marie Rose, Foundations of Nursing Research (5^thedition); Dorling Kindersley, India Pvt Ltd; Page no: 88-89.

10. Journal of Community Health Nursing, An Official Publication of TNNMC, Volume 6; Issue 2: Jul-Dec 2018.

Received on 21.11.2020 Modified on 23.12.2020

Asian J. Nursing Education and Research. 2021; 11(2):245-248.

DOI: 10.5958/2349-2996.2021.00058.6