Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Water Handling and Sanitation in Urban Households of Chamarajanagar

Abstract

Background: Water and sanitation form the core of sustainable development. The Sustainable Development Goal 6 seeks to ensure safe drinking water and sanitation for all. Water storage and handling methods along with point of use water treatment plays a crucial role in providing safe drinking water and thereby reducing the burden of water borne diseases. Objectives: To assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of water handling and sanitation. Materials and methods: A cross sectional study was conducted for 2 months (July-August 2021) in the urban field practice area including 500 households by simple random sampling using predesigned semi-structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics using frequencies and percentages were done. Chi square test was applied and p value <0.05 was considered significant. Results: Most of the respondents (96%) opined that the water they used was safe and 85.2% knew that the quality of water affects health. Piped water supply was available in 78.2% houses. The commonest method of water treatment followed was boiling (264, 52.8%). Around 6.8% of households did not practice any method of water treatment. Majority had a sanitary latrine at home (88.6%). Community toilets were utilized by 2.2% of households and 9.2% practiced open air defaecation. Most of the household waste was collected by the corporation (90.6%) and 8.8% of the households were dumping the wastes. Higher level of education was significantly associated with increased knowledge and practice of water safety and sanitation. Conclusion: There is a need for educational intervention regarding water handling and treatment methods, promoting personal hygiene and sanitation.