RESIDENTS' PERCEPTION OF THE EFFECT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE INCIDENCE OF DISEASES IN OSOGBO, OSUN STATE NIGERIA

Abstract

Clearly, conclusive evidence confirms that climate change is happening, and those likely to be worst affected are the poor and marginalized communities. Public Participation Technique (PPT) was used to analyze households' perception of the impact of climate change on peoples' health in Osogbo, with the aim of determining their level of awareness of climate change on the incidence of some diseases. Data were collected with the use of questionnaire administered on 400 household heads. The study adopted a systematic random sampling technique for the survey. The first household was chosen using the balloting method of random sampling in each identified major streets. The data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics such as percentages, cross-tabulation and regression analysis. The study revealed that the degree of climate change awareness was low (4.3% in Oluode and 6.1% in Sabo). Regression Analysis revealed significant relationship between climate change and people's health with P < 0.000 on the incidence of measles and typhoid. About a half of the respondents are not very much aware of the effect of climate change on the people's health in Asubiaro, Oke-baale and Oluode with 36.3%, 43.7% and 41.2% respectively. In order to safeguard the health of citizens in the study area, this paper suggests a comprehensive planning strategy which favours a healthy environment being recognized as key to resilience in poor communities directly dependent on natural resources. This is to be done in terms of creating awareness on the impact of climate change on people's health. Again, knowledge about ways of coping with climate variability-adaptation programs such as trees planting initiative and environmental education should be given a high priority by the government.