Spatial Assessment of Hygiene and Sanitation Facilities of Unregulated Premises in Traditional Settlement of Ilorin Metropolis, Kwara State, Nigeria

Housing is one of the most important basic necessities of mankind which is known to tremendously affect human health and well-being. Water and sanitation projects are synergistic in producing health effects. The WHO estimates that 5.5% of the global disease burden is due to inadequate water and sanitation, while the duo is believed to be responsible for 88% of the 4 billion diarrheal cases, and the resultant 1.8 million deaths. This study examined the state of sanitation facilities and hygiene in traditional settlement of Ilorin community in Kwara state, Nigeria. The study was based on cross sectional descriptive design involving household head in core Ilorin metropolis. A semi-structured questionnaires and Observational checklist were distributed to three hundred and thirty (330) randomly selected household heads. The data was analyzed for descriptive and inferential at 5% level of significant. Informed consent was obtained. The mean age of respondents were 48 ± 11.77years. Majority (42.7%) of respondents occupied tenement type and 20% occupied traditional compound. Most (68.5%) of respondents had sanitation facilities but only (35.4%) were hygienic. Almost (92.1%) of respondents experienced malaria and 77.7% also reported to have experienced cholera as health hazard associated with insanitary housing. Findings from this study indicated that family size, inspection of premises in the last one month, average monthly income and level of education influenced the sanitary status among the respondents (p<0.05). The availability of sanitation facility in the study area was appreciably high 68.5% but not hygienic.