SOCIOCULTURAL DETERMINANTS INFLUENCING OPEN DEFECATIONPRACTICE AMONG RESIDENTS OF KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA

This study assessed the socio-cultural determinants influencing open defecation practice among residents of Kaduna State, Nigeria. To achieve this purpose, descriptive cross –sectional survey research design was used. A total sample of 450 residents of Kaduna State were selected from the population of 9,451,509 through multi-stage sampling procedures of stratified, simple random, systematic and proportionate sampling techniques. The instrument used for data collection was researcher’s structured questionnaire. Out of the 450 copies of questionnaire distributed, 438 (97.3%) were valid for analysis in this study. Descriptive statistics of frequencies and percentages were used to describe the socio-demographic information of the respondents; mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions posed by the researcher, while inferential statistics of independent t-test was used to tests the formulated hypothesis one and analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to tests the formulated hypothesis two. For all tests level of significance, a probability level of 0.05 was used. The results revealed that open defecation is prevalent in Kaduna State with 178 (40.6%) of the respondents’ that practiced it; 15 (3.4%) in urban areas and 163 (37.2%) in rural areas with 21 (4.8%) of the households with no latrine. The practice is significantly influenced (p < 0.001) by place of residence (t = 13.356), and level of education (F = 1.289). Based on the results, conclusions were drawn that place of residence, level of education are significant determinants influencing open defecation practice among residents of Kaduna State, Nigeria. It was recommended that community-led total sanitation programme should not be mainly focused in urban areas alone; the Federal and States Government with Non-Governmental Organizations should put more emphasis in rural areas as open defecation is more prevalent in remote areas. State Ministry of Health and Local Governments Areas should organize health education and promotion activities to educate community members about the negative impacts of the practice on their health, environment and living standard, and also teach them on the importance of hygiene. In addition, members of the community should be trained as peer educators so that they can talk to their own people in the language they understand. Also, Behavioural Change Communication on open defecation practice should also be intensified in primary/secondary schools, informal schools such as Qur’anic schools, market places and motor parks.