Impact of Solid Waste Management on Health: A Biomedical Study of Solid Waste Workers at Dandora Dumpsite, Nairobi, Kenya Posted on 12/03/2020 by guest244@aphrc.org PUBLICATIONS RESOURCES // PUBLICATIONS Briefing Papers Impact of Solid Waste Management on Health: A Biomedical Study of Solid Waste Workers at Dandora Dumpsite, Nairobi, Kenya Health and Wellbeing March 2020 Urbanization is a major feature of global population redistribution, and Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), though currently ranked as the least urbanized region of the world, is the most rapidly urbanizing globally. It is projected that in the next few decades the continent will have more than half of its population living in urban settings and this increase comes with several challenges, among which is the high production of solid waste. The management of this waste and associated health risks constitutes a major problem confronting many cities in SSA. This study builds on the need for research to objectively identify the specific health issues associated with vulnerability to poor solid waste management, especially among workers directly exposed to these wastes. The objectives of the study were to: (a) Assess the prevalence of infections associated with exposure to wastes among waste workers; (b) Identify and estimate the prevalence of injuries and accidents associated with exposure to solid waste; (c) Explore knowledge and perceptions of stakeholders and general public on the health risks associated with poor solid waste management. This was a cross-sectional study conducted over a period of approximately twelve months. The study employed a complimentary mixed methods approach (quantitative and qualitative) in the data collection process. Findings show that: there are more female than male solid waste workers and this is linked to many work options men have beyond the dumping site than women; some waste workers own protective clothing, yet it is fully established that none owns a full set of protective gears and very few uses the protective clothing they own consistently; there is a high prevalence of infections associated with solid waste work activities and environment within the dumpsite; injuries and accidents reported to be common among solid waste workers include: cuts and injuries, diarrhea, and high susceptibility to Hepatitis B infections (up to 70%). Download CONTRIBUTORS Head of Health and Systems for Health Abdhalah Ziraba Ziraba is an Epidemiologist and a Medical Doctor. His research… View Profile Head of Urbanization and Wellbeing Blessing Mberu Blessing is a Senior Research Scientist and Head of Urbanization… View Profile Associate Research Scientist Dickson Amugsi Dickson is an Associate Research Scientist attached to the Maternal… View Profile Ivy Chumo View Profile Associate Research Scientist Kanyiva Muindi Kanyiva is an air quality researcher within the Urbanization and… View Profile SIMILAR PUBLICATIONS Journal Articles Women’s autonomy and reproductive health-care-seeking behavior in Ethiopia Journal Articles Women’s attitudes and beliefs towards specific contraceptive methods in Bangladesh and Kenya Briefing Papers Why do some men and women never test for HIV? Insights from Demographic and Health Surveys in Zambia and Lesotho General Who are the missing men? Characterizing men who have never tested for HIV from population-based surveys in six sub-Saharan African countries Technical Reports Voices for action: A report of community engagement on vulnerability and solutions to food and nutrition insecurity maasai community, Kajiado, Kenya* General Voices for action Journal Articles Vitamin a supplementation and stunting levels among two year olds in kenya: evidence from the 2008-09 kenya demographic and health survey* Journal Articles Use of anchoring vignettes to evaluate health reporting behavior amongst adults aged 50 years and above in africa and asia testing assumptions* Policy brief Unsafe abortion as a risk factor for maternal mortality in Liberia