Teym Abraham, Moges Mekonnen, Natnael Tarikuwa, Dires Tilahun, Zeleke Tirsit Ketsela
Department of Environmental Health, College of Health Sciences, Debre Markos University, Ethiopia.
Department of Environmental Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Wollo University, Dessie, Ethiopia.
J Public Health Res. 2025 Sep 11;14(3):22799036251373015. doi: 10.1177/22799036251373015. eCollection 2025 Jul.
Proper handling of solid waste plays a vital role in protecting both the environment and public health. Despite this, inadequate waste handling remains a major challenge in many developing nations, including Ethiopia, threatening ecological balance and community health.
This study aimed to identify key factors influencing solid waste management practices among households in resource-limited settings in Northwest Ethiopia in 2024.
A cross-sectional study was carried out at the community level, involving 558 households in Debre Markos town selected using a multi-stage sampling technique. Data entry was performed using EpiData, and statistical analysis was conducted with SPSS Version 26. To determine factors associated with effective solid waste management practices, both bivariate and multivariate analyses were applied, considering odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals and a significance level set at < 0.05.
A total of 378 (67.7%) households exhibited improper solid waste management practices. Households with higher education levels were significantly more likely to manage waste properly (AOR = 3.43; 95% CI: 1.15-7.85), as were those with higher income levels (AOR = 2.78; 95% CI: 1.53-6.42). A positive attitude toward waste management was also associated with better practices (AOR = 2.41; 95% CI: 1.13-5.77), along with participation in cleanup campaigns (AOR = 1.45; 95% CI: 1.12-3.79). Moreover, households willing to pay for waste management services were significantly more likely to engage in proper waste management (AOR = 7.28; 95% CI: 2.84-13.85).
This study revealed that the majority of households (67.7%) practiced poor solid waste management. Key factors influencing these practices include education level, income, attitudes, family size, participation in cleanup campaigns, and willingness to pay for services. Based on the study's findings, the authors recommend that the town administration implement training programs to raise awareness about the consequences of poor solid waste management. Promoting positive attitudes, encouraging participation in cleanup activities, and considering financial incentives are crucial for improving solid waste management practices.
妥善处理固体废物对保护环境和公众健康起着至关重要的作用。尽管如此，在包括埃塞俄比亚在内的许多发展中国家，废物处理不当仍然是一个重大挑战，威胁着生态平衡和社区健康。
本研究旨在确定2024年影响埃塞俄比亚西北部资源有限地区家庭固体废物管理实践的关键因素。
在社区层面开展了一项横断面研究，采用多阶段抽样技术选取了德布雷马科斯镇的558户家庭。使用EpiData进行数据录入，并使用SPSS 26版进行统计分析。为了确定与有效固体废物管理实践相关的因素，应用了双变量和多变量分析，考虑了具有95%置信区间的比值比和设定为<0.05的显著性水平。
共有378户家庭（67.7%）的固体废物管理实践不当。受教育程度较高的家庭正确管理废物的可能性显著更高（调整后比值比[AOR]=3.43；95%置信区间：1.15-7.85），收入水平较高的家庭也是如此（AOR=2.78；95%置信区间：1.53-6.42）。对废物管理的积极态度也与更好的实践相关（AOR=2.41；95%置信区间：1.13-5.77），以及参与清理活动（AOR=1.45；95%置信区间：1.12-3.79）。此外，愿意为废物管理服务付费的家庭进行正确废物管理的可能性显著更高（AOR=7.28；95%置信区间：2.84-13.85）。
本研究表明，大多数家庭（67.7%）的固体废物管理不善。影响这些实践的关键因素包括教育水平、收入、态度、家庭规模、参与清理活动以及为服务付费的意愿。基于该研究的结果，作者建议镇政府实施培训计划，以提高对固体废物管理不善后果的认识。促进积极态度、鼓励参与清理活动以及考虑经济激励措施对于改善固体废物管理实践至关重要。
