Assessment of the knowledge, attitudes and practices of caretakers on disposal of used baby diaper in Urban slums of Kyengera Town Council, Wakiso District, Uganda.

Abstract

Introduction Illegal dumping of soiled baby diapers is reported to be affecting sewer systems due to blockages, which take long to biodegrade, for example disposable diapers (commonly known as pampers), sanitation problems, bad smell and attraction of pets, pests like dogs and vectors like flies The continuous growth in diaper waste generation as a result of continuous population growth has become in recent years one of the main environmental health problems that modern societies have to face. Therefore the aim of this study wasto assessthe knowledge, attitudes and practices towards disposal of used baby diapers among caretakers in urban slums of Kyengera town council so as to generate information that can be useful in developing targeted interventions that encourage and improve the management of baby diapers. Methods The study employed a cross-sectional study design which utilized both quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection. Data was collected using a face-to-face interview administered semi structured questionnaire among 219 mothers or caretakers, entered into EPI DATA version 3.0 software and then univalently analyzed using STATA 13.0 software into descriptively statistics presenting study results inform of proportions, percentages, tables, graphs and charts. Qualitative data was also analyzed manually by thematic analysis. Results All 100% (230/230) respondents/caregivers in urban slums of Kyengera town council were females. All 230 (100.0%) reported that throwing soiled baby diapers along the road sides was a poor method of disposing soiled diapers. More than half 66.1% (152/230) disagreed on the disposal of soiled diapers with general waste. The occurrence of disposed of soiled baby diapers in drainage channels, road ways, and abandoned plots of land are proof that there is poor disposal practices within the community. Conclusion The knowledge and attitudes towards diaper disposal were generally fair though not a direct reflection of the practices. The practices of soiled baby diapers were not generally well since majority practiced open burning of the diapers.