Level Of Awareness Regarding The Use Of Pit Latrines In Tirap Division, Marakwet East District In Kenya

ABSTRACT

Most of the residents in the rural parts of Tirap Division are African traditional adherents whose

practices regarding the use of pit latrines are partly influenced by their culture.

The objectives of the study were to determine; the level of awareness of the effects of lack of use of

pit latrines, the factors affecting the availability and use of pit latrines, and to obtain information on

how to improve the coverage and usage of pit latrines.

The design ofthe study was cross-sectional study. The number of respondents was 733 and

comprised of 626 households respondents drawn through cluster sampling, 100 school children

respondents drawn through Purposive and then Simple random sampling. Data was collected through

interviews and observation of latrines by use of an observation checklist to determine the knowledge,

attitude and practice of the residents as regards the use of pit latrines. Data collected was converted

into a pre-determined coding system and then analysed for frequencies and using cross-tabulation in

the SPSS computer programme. Findings were presented in form of pie charts and tables.

68.5% of household residents did not know the role of pit latrines prevention of diarrhoeal diseases.

24 (- 3%) of the households members said that they did not share pit latrines with special groups of

people: children and in laws. 390 (62.46%) of the household respondents did not respond when

asked if they had taboos discouraging them from using pit latrines.

80% of household respondents without pit latrines (250) said that the construction of pit latrines was

made difficult by the coarse grained sand in the area, hence digging the pit was difficult and the

latrine was likely to collapse after a short time.

The main problems contributing to low use of pit latrine are; lack knowledge of the role of latrines in

the breaking the cycle of transmission of helminthes and parasites to man by household residents, the

culture of the Sambirir community which draws much of its attitude on discouraging the sharing of

pit latrines between different groups to meet certain requirements of their culture and the high cost of

constructing a pit latrine ..