Knowledge and Perceived Health Risks Associated with Heavy Metals Contamination in Groundwater – A Case Study of Sagamu Local Government Area, Ogun State, Nigeria

¹OKAREH Titus Oladapo, ²AKIN-BRANDOM Tosin, ^*1SOKAN–ADEAGA Adewale Allen, and ³SOKAN-ADEAGA Micheal Ayodeji

¹Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Faculty of Public Health, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.

²Department of Public Health, School of Public and Allied Health, Babcock University, Ilishan Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria.

³Department of Community Health and Primary Health Care, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria.

*Corresponding Author’s Contact Details: E-mail Addresses ✉: sokanadeaga.adewaleallen@yahoo.com; Phone No ☎: +2347039719329

Accepted April 23, 2020

This study assesses the level of knowledge of household representatives on heavy metals toxicity and the perceived health risks associated with drinking heavy metals contaminated groundwater by residents in Sagamu Local Government Area (LGA) of Ogun State, Nigeria. The study employed a cross-sectional descriptive survey using interviewed administered semi-structured questionnaire to elicit personal information, information on water source, common health complaints and knowledge of respondents on heavy metals toxicity. Four hundred (400) participants were selected by systematic sampling across the fifteen (15) political wards in Sagamu LGA. Findings from the study showed that the overall mean age of the respondents was 44±1.3 years and majority (74.8%) was secondary school holders. Borehole takes 89.3% of water supply in the communities. The common ailments reported were frequent stooling (7.8%), still birth (2.5%), children with stunted growth (2.0%) and 0.5% cases of death from cancer. Majority (92.8%) of the respondents had poor knowledge of heavy metal toxicity. The study recommends public health education with proper treatment and monitoring of groundwater by the government.

Key words: Heavy metals toxicity, Groundwater, Knowledge level, Health effects, Boreholes.

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