Payyappilly Antony Paul, Babu Priya, Nair Manju R
Achutha Menon Centre for Health Science Studies, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India.
Risk Manag Healthc Policy. 2025 Jan 8;18:65-76. doi: 10.2147/RMHP.S491900. eCollection 2025.
Waste mismanagement is a growing concern in developing countries where unsustainable practices such as open dumping and open burning are rampant. This study examined the risk perceptions of the residents living in proximity to the Brahmapuram dump yard, situated in Ernakulam district of Kerala State, India- A site marked by persistent local protests, public outrage, and legal disputes arising from issues related to waste mismanagement. The study focused on the geospatial and sociodemographic factors that might influence these perceptions.
A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 302 respondents living within 4 kilometers from the borders of the dump yard using a structured interview schedule. The responses of the participants were used to compute a risk perception score, which reflected participants' risk perception regarding the environment and their health.
Among the participants in the study, those who lived within 2 kilometers (2.3 (95% CI 0.96, 3.7; p<0.001)), those who lived to the east (2.7 (95% CI 1.1, 4.2; p<0.001)) and those who reported perceiving strong malodor from the dump yard (2.0 (95% CI 0.54, 3.4; p=0.007)), had a higher risk perception in the multivariate linear regression model. Women had a lesser risk perception compared to men (-2.6 (95% CI -3.7, -1.4; p<0.001)).
The findings highlight the importance of geospatial characteristics (distance and direction), malodor and gender differences in shaping the risk perceptions among the proximate residents living around a waste dump yard. Consideration of geospatial and sociodemographic determinants in risk assessment and management could potentially reduce the perceived risks and public discontent around waste management facilities.
在发展中国家，垃圾管理不善问题日益受到关注，在这些国家，露天倾倒和露天焚烧等不可持续做法十分猖獗。本研究调查了居住在印度喀拉拉邦埃纳库拉姆区布拉马普尔姆垃圾场附近居民的风险认知。该垃圾场因垃圾管理不善问题引发了持续的当地抗议、公众愤怒和法律纠纷。研究聚焦于可能影响这些认知的地理空间和社会人口因素。
采用结构化访谈问卷，对居住在距垃圾场边界4公里范围内的302名受访者进行了横断面调查。参与者的回答用于计算风险认知得分，该得分反映了参与者对环境和自身健康的风险认知。
在研究参与者中，居住在2公里范围内的人（2.3（95%可信区间0.96，3.7；p<0.001））、居住在东部的人（2.7（95%可信区间1.1，4.2；p<0.001））以及报告从垃圾场闻到强烈恶臭的人（2.0（95%可信区间0.54，3.4；p=0.007）），在多变量线性回归模型中的风险认知更高。女性的风险认知低于男性（-2.6（95%可信区间-3.7，-1.4；p<0.001））。
研究结果凸显了地理空间特征（距离和方向）、恶臭和性别差异在塑造垃圾场周边居民风险认知方面的重要性。在风险评估和管理中考虑地理空间和社会人口决定因素可能会降低对垃圾管理设施的感知风险和公众不满。
