Influence of household waste management practices on the health of children under five in Asuogyaman District, Ghana

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of waste management practices on children's health under five years in the Asuogyaman District of Ghana. The study was motivated by health risks associated with inadequate household waste management, particularly among children in underserved communities. A descriptive survey design was employed, involving 350 mothers and caregivers from eight communities along the Volta Lake. Data were collected using questionnaires and analysed using descriptive statistics and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). Polythene/plastic waste (87.4%), dirty cooking water (91.4%), and laundry wastewater (89.1%) were generated. Only 29.1% of households had designated rubbish containers, 15.4% practised waste separation, and 88.9% lacked municipal door-to-door waste collection. Additionally, 82.3% of respondents rated municipal solid waste management services as very weak. Structural equation modelling showed that household waste management practices significantly influenced hygiene and feeding practices (β = 0.67, p < .001) and child health outcomes (β = 0.24, p = .023). Hygiene and feeding practices significantly influenced child health outcomes (β = 0.62, p < .001). The study concludes that inadequate household waste management contributes to poor health outcomes among children under five, partly through its influence on hygiene and feeding practices. Based on these findings, the study recommends expanding waste collection, providing household waste storage facilities, promoting waste separation, improving wastewater management, and strengthening hygiene and child-feeding education.