THE EFFECTS OF POOR SANITATION IN THE HEALTH OF THE COMMUNITY OF

BUHANGIN DISTRICT, DAVAO CITY, DAVAO DEL SUR

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of

Community and Public Health
Chapter I and II

Submitted to:
Merry Joy Caramat, RMT
Submitted by:
Penaco, Jezerel M.
Arcenas, Naomi
Hormillada, Hanyan
Pait, Ailyn
Catchin, Ella Mae
Pausal, Gretchen
Econar, Girnalyn
Osorio, Mary Feel
Idjilani, Maryam
Goubelle, Morgane Catherine
 CHAPTER I

Introduction

Sanitation is the hygienic means of promoting health through prevention of

human contact with the hazards of waste as well as the treatment and proper disposal

of sewage or waste-water. Poor sanitation leads to hazards which can be physical,

microbiological, biological or chemical agent of disease. Waste that can cause health

problems including human and animal excreta, solid waste, domestic waste water

(sewage or greywater) industrial waste and agricultural wastes. Most African cities are

overcrowded, due to urban attraction. Little controlled urban growth lead to poor

management of solid and liquid waste produced by cities. This leads to many problem

of sanitation. The sanitation in these cities is generally dominated by self-purification

works. They often repress waste-water that trickles down in living quarter streets

emitting strong foul odors. (Strauss et al, 2000).

 The world health organization (WHO) define the term ‘sanitation’ as the provision

of facilities and service for the safe disposal of human urine and feces. The world

‘sanitation’ also refers to the maintenance of hygienic conditions, through services such

as garbage collection and waste-water disposals. Proper sanitation promotes health,

improves the quality of the environment and thus, the quality of life in a community.

Sanitation refers to the safe collection, transportation, treatment and disposal of

human wastes. In developing countries, improvements in practices of disposing of

human excreta are crucial to raising levels of public health. An increasing amount of

literature suggests that health problems result from the lack of sanitation facilities,

especially among the urban poor living in overcrowded informal settlements.

Invariably, it is the poor who suffer the most from the absence of safe water and

sanitation because they lack not only the means to provide such facilities but also the

information on how to minimize the ill-effects of the unsanitary conditions in which

they live. As a result, the negative effects of unsanitary living conditions lower the

productive potential of the people who can least afford it.

Review of Related Literature

Sanitation is basically a hygienic disposal or recycling of waste. It also is

considered as a practice that allows protection of health with the help of hygienic

measures (UNESCO, 2003). It is also commonly understood as a term that is used for

treatment of waste in its original form. "Sanitation” is understood to mean "the promotion

of hygiene and prevention of disease by maintenance of sanitary conditions". In the

nineteenth century the term "sanitary" was understood to mean something “relating to

health, or relating to or used in the disposal of domestic waterborne waste" (Merriam-

Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 2003) (Sinha and Menon, 1999). The 1999 protocol on

water and health to the 1992 convention on the protection and use of trans-boundary

watercourses and international lakes defined sanitation as "the collection, transport,

treatment, and disposal or reuse of human excreta or domestic water-waste, whether

through collective systems or by installation, serving a single household or undertaking".

This understanding of the term includes, not only the removal of waste from direct

contact with human beings, but also its treatment and possible safe reuse (Kumar,

2001). It has been found that poor water and sanitation facilities have many other

serious repercussions. A direct link exists between water, sanitation and health, and

nutrition and human well-being.

Consumption of contaminated drinking water, improper disposal of human

excreta, lack of personal and food related hygiene and improper disposal of solid and

liquid waste have been major causes of many diseases in Nigeria and it is estimated

that around 30 million people suffer from water-related diseases (Blackwell, 2004).

Children, particularly girls and women, are the most affected.

Sanitation is vital for good health. Health problems associated with poor

sanitation include diarrhea, dysentery, typhoid, cholera, malaria, bilharzias, worm

infestations, eye infections, and skin diseases. Sanitation is also vital for wealth

creation. Economic benefits of improved sanitation include savings in health costs,

higher worker productivity, better school attendance, improved tourism and reduced

water treatment costs (RSA, 2000).

Adequate sanitation is the foundation of social development. According to the

World Health Organization (WHO), a decent toilet or latrine is an unknown luxury to half
of the people on earth. Almost 3 billion individuals do not have access to a decent toilet,

and many of them are forced to defecate on the bare ground or queue up to pay for the

use of a filthy latrine (UNICEF, 2001). Neglect of sanitation exposes people to

unhygienic conditions which leads to dangerous diseases especially diarrhea. The earth

summit conference (UNCED, 1999) found diarrhea is the biggest child-killer on earth,

taking the lives of 2,2 million children each year. The diarrhea episodes leave millions

more children underweight, mentally and physically stunted. Children become easy prey

for the deadly diseases and so drained of energy that they are ill-equipped for the

primary task of childhood; which is learning.

Sanitation is regarded as the maintenance of sanitary conditions.

Therefore, basic sanitation means the provision of sufficient hygienic,

hazard-free toilets, the effective removal and disposal of household waste,

and effective effluent disposal (The provision sanitation facilities by

Government assist schools in keeping their environment clean in order to

promote rapid learning among students). Good sanitation is important for a

number of reasons, not least of all human dignity

Lack of access to safe sanitation facilities is a significant cause of ill

health in Nigeria schools (Evans, 1994). Poor sanitation promotes the

spread of health problems. Many infections of human beings are spread

through inadequate sanitation. Viruses, bacteria, protozoa and worms may

spread through direct contact, indirectly via carriers and vectors. Cholera
deaths are an indication of a poor health system and certainly poor

sanitation (Hall, 2003). Poor sanitation impacts on the health, quality of life,

and development potential of communities.

Sanitation systems involve the disposal and treatment of wastes. A

lack of adequate sanitation system constitutes a range of pollution risks to

the environment, especially the contamination of surface and ground water

resources. This, in turn, increases the cost of downstream water treatment

as well as the risk of disease for people who use untreated water.

According to The White Paper on Basic Household Sanitation (RSA, 2001)

the effects of pollution include: waterborne diseases, blue baby syndrome

in bottle-fed infants, excessive growth of aquatic plants which are toxic and

depletion of oxygen in the water.

Inadequate sanitation facilities, inadequate disposal of waste and

poor sanitation practices result in loss of privacy and dignity, exposure and

increased risks to personal safety (RSA, 2001). People are forced to use

the bush as their toilet facility. They are exposed to dangerous situations

where they can be assaulted or attacked by wild animals.

Eade and Williams (1995) emphasize that sanitation is vital in primary

health care. It further states that over 25 million people die every year from
diseases related to inadequate and poor sanitation. Inadequate sanitation

has been identified as the main cause of human illness. The most common

diseases associated with poor sanitation are: diarrhea and dysentery,

typhoid, bilharzia, malaria, cholera, worms, eye infection and skin diseases.

Contaminated water and poor hygiene are the major cause of diarrhea

diseases, the most common group of communicable diseases, highly

prevalent among poor people living in crowded conditions with inadequate

facilities (Blackett, 2001). Most faecal–oral infections are transmitted on

hands and during food preparation, rather than through drinking

contaminated water directly. There are major routes of diseases

transmission, which can include the following: Transmission via fingers and

hands, contaminated by faeces through unwashed hands. The second

transmission is faecal contaminated food, which has been prepared by

unwashed hands or grown in contaminated soil. The third transmission is

through flies. The fourth transmission mode is through fluids. This is mainly

water pathogenically contaminated at source or during collection,

transportation or storage. The fifth transmission is through fields, people

working in fields, or children playing where pathogens are present.

Theoretical Framework
 This study is not anchored to any research model that would be the base of our

evaluation rather this study is a standalone, which has its own set of questionnaire that

was made by the researchers to evaluate the type of living of the people in the

community who are living in the Buhangin District, Davao City, Davao del Sur. This set

of questionnaire will help the researchers to evaluate and distinguish the adverse

effects of poor sanitation.

Conceptual Framework

The data collection, analysis and presentation was guided by a conception of

variables, apparently gathered from literature review and highly attributed to improved

sanitation services.

INDEPENDENT VARIABLE DEPENDENT VARIABLE

 Coverage of
POOR SANITATION sanitation facilities
 Community Health  Coverage of hand
Strategy washing facilities
implementing sites.  Available methods of
 Non- Community disposing waste
Health Strategy  Status of sanitation
implementing sites
related knowledge
 Status of diarrhea
prevalence

Figure 1. Conceptual Paradigm of the study

Statement of the Problem

 Poor sanitation condition in Buhangin Distict, Davao City, Davao Del Sur. The

problem has persisted in spite of the enlightment toward the danger of poor sanitation in

their community. The extent of the condition in Buhangin District is only rarely

investigated. This research work therefore is meant to fill the menace of community

pollution. Investment in community safety is a serious issue, which needs immediate

attention in order to reduce the spread of diseases among residents in the community. It

is therefore proper and appropriate to ensure that all sanitary facilities in the community

meant for sanitation should be put to use to reduce poor sanitary condition in Buhangin

District, Davao City, Davao Del Sur.

Specifically the study intends to answer the following questions:

1. Does poor sanitation leads to spread of infection among the residents in the

community?

2. What are the dangers associated with poor sanitation in the community?

3. What are the factors that result to poor sanitation condition in the community?

4. What are the strategies that could be employed to improve sanitation in

Buhangin District, Davao City, Davao Del Sur?

Hypothesis

The present research, hypothesis is; “THE EFFECTS OF POOR SANITATION

IN THE HEALTH OF THE COMMUNITY OF BUHANGIN DISTRICT, DAVAO CITY,

DAVAO DEL SUR ” This hypothesis has been tested by making its sub-hypothesis:

1. Poor conditions of poor sanitation force people to migrate

2. Poor conditions of poor sanitation is responsible for diseases

Significance of the study

The study will create public awareness and enlightment campaign to the

community of Buhangin District, Davao City, Davao Del Sur. Also this study will create

awareness on the danger of poor sanitation condition. Government and community will

be alerted on the existence of poor sanitation conditions and its effect on the people’s

health and assist policy makers to enact laws to prevent the high rate of poor sanitation

condition and also reduce it to minimum level.

The study would further provide a valid document for researchers as the finding

may stimulate further studies in the study of poor sanitation condition in Buhangin

District, Davao City, Davao Del Sur. There is no doubt that this study would add to the

existing body of knowledge of sanitation.

Definitions of Terms

The following operational terms are used in the study and how it is applicable to

the research;

Condition: the state of something with regard to its appearance, quality, or working

order; have a significant influence on or determine (the manner or outcome of

something).

Disposal: the action or process of getting rid of something; The action or process of

getting rid of something.

Poor: lacking sufficient items or money to live at a standard considered comfortable or

normal in a society.
Refuse disposal: system, technique for the collection, treatment, and disposal of the

solid wastes of a community. The development and operation of these systems is often

called solid-waste management.

Sanitation: conditions relating to public health, especially the provision of clean drinking

water and adequate sewage disposal.

Health: is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living organism. In humans it

is the ability of individuals or communities to adapt and self-manage

Scope and Delimitations

This study aims to know the diverse causes as to why the community does have

poor sanitation condition and to determine what would be the adverse effects of it in the

health of people who are living in the community. This study is cost efficient since the

respondents of the research is just few meters away from the school. The area in the

community of Buhangin District, Davao City, Davao del Sur will be the main source of

information that are needed to get the desired output. The said respondents will be

answering the given questionnaires conducted by the researchers.

.
 CHAPTER II

Research Design

The research used the survey research method. The researcher used this

method to obtain the actual information on the Poor Sanitary Condition in Buhangin

District, Davao City, Davao Del Sur.

Setting of the Study

The study will be conducted at Buhangin District, Davao City, Davao del Sur.

This study is cost efficient since the area of the community is just a few blocks away

from the school campus.

Respondents of the Study

 The residents of Buhangin District, Davao City, Davao del Sur would be the one

who would act as our respondents, which we would only pick 150 respondents as to

receive 150 set of data, an enough number to be able to acquire the desired set of

answers. The simple random sampling is utilized wherein all the members of the

population have an equal chance to be selected as a respondent of the study.

Instrument of the study

The researchers used one tool, to gather information from the respondents. The

survey questionnaire where originally formulated by the researchers. It is intended to

distinguish their type of living. It is an 18 item questionnaire. It contains questions about

their community as well as their state of living such as their knowledge about

healthcare, the leading causes of death in their community, and also questions

regarding the needs of their community.