Abstract:
In recent times, infectious diseases have been regarded as diseases of under developed world. World Health *gar bati ion (1 990.44) has reporled that "of more than 50 million deaths world-wide irt 1997, about one-third were due to Infectlous and paraslllcdiseases-. frl Nigeria, "olrlb~eak BF water-borne diseases such as cholera, yellow fever,dysentery. diarrhoea, and guine~~wononcc ur periodlcelly resulling in fatality' (Egboka el al.1989:64). Am estimated 650,000 Niyerirrris are known to suffer from guineaworm infectionsalone every year. This study focursed on those iniectior~sd i v i ~ P sIli a! are Iransrni tlhrough oral consumption of contnr~~ilinte water (WEDS). Tfie general objective was lo specifically examine those soci&-econornic and tuRural laclon in Ihe incidence and prevalence of such dlseases atnong riverlne communities Fn Anarnbra state. The stltdy was basecf 041 ?ilrnl!le survey of BOO households drawn from three ttverine LGAs in Anambra state, lndepth lnlervlew of 18 Key Inforrnanls and 12 Focus Group Discussions. Data was analysed using descriptive sfatiflics, slatlstical tables and charts. Four hypotheses were formutated and tested using Analysis, d variance. The major findings eaier majoriyt of the respodents did not perceive the waler they drink as possiblesource ot diseases, Majority of Ihs households (69.17%) do noll treat the water they drlnk, Itwas round that 6Q,87% of the households were using open and unprotected toilel syst6ms,v;t~ich[r lcludes Open Pit Toilet, Bush Method, atxi Use of Rivers, Incidence of WBDs differed si~nlficsntlya mong different ~ccuptioflaglr oups beirrg higher ammo Far~r!inflisl~ingg roups;WBDs lendM Lo reduce with increased level ot education of the hausehold heads. It also differed signifimntly between the communities probably because some of the communities had better social and economIc lacinties than others. Seasonal variation was also observed,as the upsurge of WSUs during early rains. Sanilary condition was generally poor, refusedisposal and toilet system still primithe In the area. These were congenial for theepidemiology 07 WflD9. The canclusion of this audy is that although tt~ec ultural beliefs and practims of the people may be ImpMfant In understandirlg the ir~cidencean d prevalence of WBDs, but giventheir poverly level and the peasanl nalwe of their economy, it is imp67tant 10 examine theplight at these rural rluen'ne people wilhin me conled of tile general p0tilical economy withinwhich Ihey live, tather lhan blarnirlg their cultural beliefs and attitudes alone.
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