Effect of a health-risk reduction training program on the knowledge and safe waste-handling practices among Waste-pickers in dumpsites in Ogun State, Nigeria

Objective: This study assessed the effect of a health-risk reduction training program on waste-pickers waste-handling practices in dumpsites in Ogun State, Nigeria.Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted among 60 waste-pickers recruited by multistage sampling technique divided into intervention and control group. There was a baseline assessment of waste-handling practices in both intervention and control groups using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Thereafter, health-risk reduction training was given using lectures, and demonstrations. Three months after the intervention, another assessment of the same waste-pickers was conducted with the same instrument. Waste-handling practices and knowledge responses were measured on a 54-point rating scale and 17-point rating scale respectively. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 23 to generate descriptive and inferential.Results: At baseline, the waste-pickers in the control group had a mean waste-handling score of 17.80±6.89 while the experimental group had a mean of (17.97±5.47). After the training program, there was a statistically significant increase in the mean waste-handling score of the experimental group (47.30±3.28; p= 0.000) while there was no increase in the mean waste-handling score of the control group (17.80±6.89). This significant increase in the mean waste-handling score of the experimental group (53.83±0.38; p=0.000) was also observed at 3 month follow-up period.Conclusion/Recommendation: The health-risk reduction training was effective in improving the waste-handling practices of waste-pickers. It is recommended that waste-pickers should be trained on proper waste-handling by the government.