abstract
This study examined the knowledge and awareness of
effect of air pollution on the health of motorcycle riders in coker/aguda local
council development area. The sample consisted of 110 motorcycle riders in
Coker/Aguda Local Council Development Area of Lagos State. Variables studied
are knowledge and awareness of the effect of air pollution on health. Knowledge and awareness of effect
of air pollution on their health were assessed through a 20 item self developed
questionnaire. Data was analyzed using simple percentage. Results from the
findings show that the motorcycle riders in Coker/Aguda Local Council
Development Area are knowledgeable and aware of the effect of air pollution on
their health. The study recommended that seminar should be organized
periodically to educate motorcycle riders in ensuring a conducive and enabling environment for good living, law enforcement agency
should encourage motorcycle riders to go for ministry of transportation test to
avoid air pollution. State government
should recommend nose bluff to the motorcycle riders in prevention of
respiratory disorders, more research should be carried out in the area of
effect of air pollution on health, the use of eye goggle should also be
recommended in the prevention of itching and discomfort of the eye.
TABLE
OF CONTENT
PAGE
Title page
i
Certification
ii
Dedication
iii
Acknowledgement iv
Abstract
v
Table of content
vii
CHAPTER
ONE: INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
1
Statement of Problem 6
Purpose
of the Study
6
Research
Questions 7
Research Hypotheses 7
Delimitation of Study 8
Limitation of Study
8
Significance of Study
9
Operational Definition of Terms
9
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
Concept
of Air Pollution
11
Causes
and Effects of Air Pollution 15
Control
and Prevention of Air Pollution. 21
Man and His Environment 28
Characteristics of Motorcycle Riders. 33
Environmental Changes and Human Health
33
Environmental
Protection Efforts in Nigeria 36
A brief
on Coker/Aguda LCDA
37
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research
Method 39
Population
40
Sample
and Sampling Techniques 40
Research
Instrument 41
Validity
of Instrument 41
Method
for Data Collection
42
Method
for Data Analysis.
42
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
Descriptive Statistics
43
Testing of Hypotheses 44
Discussion of Findings
47
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary 49
Conclusion
51
Recommendation
51
References
53
Appendix 54
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background
to the Study
The land can be cleaned up before we
use it, and purify water before we drink it, but, except in air-conditioned
rooms, we must breathe air as it comes to us. Automobiles, factories, heating
furnaces, power plants, trash incinerators, each add to the problem, so control
is difficult. (Microsoft Encarta 2009).
Air
pollution is a major environmental problem throughout the world. Most air
pollution problems thus result from man’s pattern of energy use and production.
Air quality is affected by economic
activities which introduce pollutants into the atmosphere that pose threats to
human health and other life forms on earth. It furthermore has the potential to
change the climate with unpredictable, but potentially severe consequences on a
local and global scale. Because large bodies of air cannot be contained,
atmospheric pollution can only be controlled at its source. At present there
is no comprehensive information on air quality or on the levels of emissions
entering the atmosphere from different sources.
However, air
pollution is a major environmental risk to health. By reducing air pollution
levels, we can help countries reduce the global burden of disease from
respiratory infections, heart disease, and lung cancer. The lower the levels of
air pollution in a city, the better respiratory (both long- and short-term),
and cardiovascular health of the population will be.
A pollutant is the wrong
stuff in the wrong place at the wrong time, and especially in developed nations
such as ours, avoiding pollution is not necessarily easy. The problem is made
worse by a loss of ownership of the problem; by reality gaps between government
agencies which must regulate and monitor on the broader level of pollutant
averages over time and local citizens that are justifiably upset over local
episodes; and by entrenchment in the comfort of our own consumptive lifestyles
and by limited alternatives.
The
auto industry and its support enterprises continue to flourish, while mass
transit struggles to survive. Fossil fuel-based energies overshadow wind, solar
and other sources of energy. Cleaner fuels often remain a novelty. Land use
decisions, or the lack of them, make it difficult for many to walk or bike to
work. Numerous small mechanical devices replace muscle power. Disposable items
save us even more time and work. Food is transported far from where it is
grown, to a region which could supply its own food needs. All of these factors
lead to increased product and energy consumption and have a vast impact on air
quality.
Environmental pollution is the unfavourable alteration of the
environment due to the addition of impurities by man to constitute danger to
either his/her health (ldodo-Umeh, 2010). One of the major causes of
environmental pollution is air pollution. Air pollution is the additional of
air borne substances such as dust, smoke, soot and sulphurdioxide found in the
air that alter the composition of the atmosphere causing harm to human. Carbon
monoxide is the major pollutant produced from the exhaust of automobile.
Nitrogen-monoxide and Nitrogen dioxide are other gases produced from the
motorcycle (ldodo-Umeh, 2010).
Although transportation is a vital
part of the economy and is essential for everyday activities, it is also a
significant source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Greenhouse gases (GHGs)
occur naturally in the earth’s atmosphere and help to keep the planet
hospitable to life by trapping some of the sun’s natural heat. Without this
“greenhouse effect,” the earth’s average surface temperature would be about 33
degrees Celsius cooler than it is currently. The
most important naturally occurring GHGs associated with this phenomenon are
water vapor (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide
(N2O).
Human
activities release GHG emissions and contribute to increasing concentrations of
GHGs in the atmosphere. CO2 is the predominant GHG emitted by human sources.
Like most GHGs, CO2 is produced both by natural and human activities and can be
removed from the atmosphere through natural processes. However, increased production of
CO2 by human sources has caused total GHG emissions exceed natural absorption
rates, resulting in increased atmospheric concentrations. Since the beginning
of the industrial revolution, atmospheric concentrations of CO2 have
increased by nearly 30 percent, CH4 concentrations have more than doubled, and
N2O concentrations have risen by approximately 15 percent (Browning,2003).
Air pollution can affect our
health in many ways with both short-term and long-term effects.
Different groups of individuals are affected by air pollution in different
ways. Some individuals are much more sensitive to pollutants than are others.
Young children and elderly people often suffer more from the effects of air
pollution. People with health problems such as asthma, heart and lung disease
may also suffer more when the air is polluted. The extent to which an
individual is harmed by air pollution usually depends on the total exposure to the
damaging chemicals, i.e., the duration
of exposure and the concentration of the chemicals must be
taken into account. Examples of short-term
effects include irritation to the eyes, nose and throat, and upper
respiratory infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia. Other symptoms can
include headaches, nausea, and allergic reactions. Short-term air pollution can
aggravate the medical conditions of individuals with asthma and emphysema. Long-term
health effects can include chronic respiratory disease, lung cancer,
heart disease, and even damage to the brain, nerves, liver, or kidneys.
Continual exposure to air pollution affects the lungs of growing children and
may aggravate or complicate medical conditions in the elderly.
Coker/AgudaLlocal council
development area, under Surulere Local Government is a very busy locality. It
has three communities; Coker, Aguda and Orile. The three communities are made
up of seven wards. Average men and youth in Coker/Aguda LCDA engaged in road
transportation as their major occupation for the purpose of meeting their
needs. Research into the health effects of air pollution is ongoing. Medical
conditions arising from air pollution can be very expensive. Healthcare costs,
lost productivity in the workplace, and human welfare impacts cost billions of
dollars each year. Mankind has always believed in a better place where life is
free of stress and toil where health and happiness abound. (Haastrup and
Adeogun, 2005).The
environment is at the top of the agenda for governments, civil society and
citizens, and is likely to remain so for some time. Its importance in business
and purchase decision-making, as well as in legislation,
standards and regulations is increasing all the time. As a
result, no business can afford to take the environment for granted. Whatever
your industry or area of activity, you need to minimize your impact on the
environment and protect it as much as possible
Statement of Problem
Coker/Aguda local council
development area is a very busy area in Surulere Local Government Area and the
major occupational practice among men and youth is Okada ridding. The emission
discharged from the exhausts and other air pollutants expose them and other
citizens to environmental health conditions such as lung cancer, asthma,
irritation of the eyes and even cataract of the eyes. These conditions are
worsened with the use of poor quality engine oil which results to the release
of emission of poor gases in the air. Also mixed fuel gasoline is another
factor that emits carbon dioxide (C02) into the air causing air pollution in
the environment .Together; these pollutants seriously affect human health and
the environment if precautions are not taken.
These Okada riders may or may not be ignorant of the consequences of
their action because of their determination to survive and make out a living.
It is therefore important to examine the knowledge and awareness level of these
Okada riders on the effects of air pollution on the health of motorcycle riders
in Coker/Aguda Local Council Development Area.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to examine the knowledge and
awareness of the effects of air pollution on the health of motorcycle riders in
Coker/Aguda Local Council Development Area.
Research Questions
1)
Will
motorcycle riders in Coker/Aguda Local Council Development Area be
knowledgeable on the effects of air pollution on their health?
2)
Will motorcycle riders in Coker/Aguda Local
Council Development Area be aware of the effect of air pollution on their
health?
3)
Will age influence the knowledge of the effects
of air pollution on the health of motorcycle riders in Coker/Aguda LCDA?
Research Hypotheses
1)
Motorcycle riders in Coker Aguda Local Council
Development Area will not be significantly knowledgeable about the effect of
air pollution on their health.
2)
Motorcycle riders in Coker Aguda Local Council
Development Area will not be significantly aware of the effect of air pollution
on their health.
3)
Age will not significantly influence the
knowledge of the effects of air pollution on the health of Okada riders in
Coker/Aguda LCDA
Delimitation of Study
This study is delimited to the following
1)
Coker/Aguda Local Council Development Area.
2)
Coker and Aguda communities of the LCDA.
3)
Motorcycle riders in five major junctions of
Coker/Aguda LCDA.
a)
Adetola Junction
b)
Casette Junction
c)
Pako Junction
d)
Coker Bridge Junction
e)
Sanya Express Junction
4)
A self-designed questionnaire.
Limitation of Study
The result of this study could be limited by the fact that
respondents are uncooperative in their attitude towards filling out of the
questionnaire. Also their responses formed the data base of this study.
Significance of Study
The results of this study may be of significant to the
community because may be the knowledge and awareness of the effect of air
pollution on the health of the motorcycle riders in Coker Aguda Local Council
Development Area are discussed and through this more awareness on the health
implication is created. Also, it will
impact on health awareness of the larger community, when the health of the
motorcycle riders are improved, the health of the community will also improve.
Operational Definition of Terms
Air pollution: Air contamination by harmful substances.
Awareness: Consciousness through
revelation.
Knowledge:
Understanding gained through experience or study.
Motorcycle rider: Somebody who uses two wheeler road vehicle
for transporting one or two riders as a
means of livelihood
Coker/Aguda LCDA: Coker/Aguda local council development area is
under Surulere Local Government of Lagos
State. It has three communities; Coker, Aguda and Orile. The three communities
are made up of seven wards. Average men and youth in Coker/Aguda LCDA engage in
road transportation as their major occupation for the purpose of meeting their
needs.
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