Discussion
Socio-Demographic Characteristics
- Responsibility and Gender Roles The high maternal involvement (66.17% of households) suggests that
mothers play a central role in household health decision-making, aligning with traditional gender roles.
This highlights the importance of targeting women for health education and intervention programs.
- Age Distribution The majority of respondents were aged 18-30 years (46.1%), followed by 31-50 years
(43.43%). This indicates a population at the prime age for childbearing and household decision-making,
critical for interventions focused on reproductive health, maternal care, and family planning.
- Gender Imbalance With 78.44% of respondents being female, this reflects gender norms where women
are more likely to engage in health-related matters as caregivers and decision-makers.
Birth and Mortality:
- Live Birth Rate: The percentage of households reporting live births in the past year was 15.98% (43 out
of 269), suggesting moderate fertility. This aligns with the high awareness of family planning (90.04%
knowledge).
- Mortality and Health Records: No maternal or under-five deaths were reported in the past year,
indicating positive health outcomes. However, the lack of data on causes of mortality (e.g., older
populations) underscores the need for improved health record-keeping to identify preventable risks.
One Health Awareness:
- Environmental Awareness: A significant majority (71.0%) understood the One Health concept (human,
animal, and environmental interconnectedness). This awareness is crucial for mitigating zoonotic and
environmental health risks.
- Zoonotic Diseases: While 78.44% were aware of zoonotic diseases, 21.56% lacked knowledge,
highlighting the need for targeted education, especially in underserved areas.
Environmental Health:
- Housing and Sanitation Most houses (69.14%) were attached to neighbors, potentially increasing
disease transmission risks. Cleanliness perceptions were mixed: 66.2% reported satisfactory cleanliness,
while 26.4% and 7.4% rated it less satisfactory or poor.
- Water Access: Nearly all households (97.76%) used tap water, a positive sanitation indicator. However,
20.8% stored water in non-clean jerrycans (e.g., tankers, jars), posing contamination risks.
- oilets and Garbage Disposal:Most households (97.4%) had toilets, with 91.8% fenced and 95.9%
properly utilized. However, 8.2% disposed of garbage in public holes, indicating sanitation gaps.
-Food Hygiene: While 96.7% washed utensils with soap, 37.54% consumed leftover food (86.13%
reheated), and 14.12% prepared food while sick, suggesting potential foodborne illness risks.
Maternal and Child Health:
- Reproductive Health: Among 269 households, 87.73% (236) were of reproductive age. Only 5.2% (14
women) reported pregnancies, all of whom attended ANC follow-ups.
- Abortion and Mortality: A low abortion rate (1.5%, 4 cases) was reported, with no maternal deaths.
This may reflect underreporting due to cultural factors, warranting further investigation.
Vaccination and Child Health:
- Vaccination Coverage: Among children under three, 83.93% (94/112) were vaccinated, with 94.6%
(89/94) having vaccination cards, reflecting strong immunization tracking.
- Child Health:Only 4.76% (9/189) of under-five children fell ill in the past two weeks, suggesting good
general health or potential underreporting.
Health-Seeking Behavior:
- Healthcare Access: Most households (89.2%) sought care at health institutions, while 9.7% used holy
water, indicating cultural preferences that require integration with formal healthcare.
- Disease Prevalence: Communicable diseases were rare (3% of households), but 19.3% reported non-
communicable diseases (e.g., hypertension: 53.5%, diabetes: 31%).
Medication Use:
- Access and Adherence: Most households (96.3%) sourced medications from pharmacies, with high
adherence (92.6%). However, 33.5% used traditional medications (primarily for abdominal pain: 55.6%),
signaling a need for safe practice education.
Mental Health:
- Awareness: 78.1% understood mental illness, attributing causes to stress (53.8%) and evil spirits
(22.4%). Only 2.38% reported family members with mental illness, and 57.14% sought institutional care.
Trachoma Knowledge:
- Awareness: 78.4% knew about trachoma, associating transmission with poor personal hygiene (61.6%).
Most (78.1%) believed it preventable through hygiene (93.4%).
Conclusion
The data highlights strengths such as high maternal involvement, strong vaccination coverage (83.93%),
and good healthcare access (89.2%). Challenges include sanitation gaps (8.2% improper garbage
disposal), potential underreporting of health issues (abortions, mental illness), and reliance on
traditional practices (e.g., holy water). Continued education on environmental health, zoonotic diseases,
and chronic disease management, alongside improved record-keeping and maternal care integration,
will enhance health outcomes.
