Assessment of Informal Settlement and Associated Factors as a Public Health Issue in Bahir Dar City, North West Ethiopia; a Community Based Case Control Study

Abstract

Background: Informal settlements are housing units that are constructed without compliance of current planning and building regulations. This kind of settlement has become a common practice in recent years in Bahir Dar. Inhabitants who live in these unplanned housing units are often exposed to health risks associated with environmental problems. The objective of this study was to assess the existence of illnesses by infectious diseases associated to informal settlements and exploring associated risk factors in Bahir Dar city. Methods: unmatched case-control quantitative study complemented with qualitative exploration was conducted in Bahir Dar city, from 1 June-31 September 2011. A total of 555 households (185 informal and 370 formal households) were selected by systematic random sampling technique proportional to the number of households in respective sub cities. Pre tested semi structured questionnaire and observation checklist were used to collect the data. Data were coded, entered and cleaned using epidemiological information version 3.3.2, and analyzed by SPSS version 15. Results: As a result, existence of illness by infectious diseases among informally established housing units was found to be 39.5% compared to 10.8% among formally established housing units. The likelihood of establishing informal houses is associated with socio-economic and demographic factors such as respondents’ age [AOR= 2.78, 95%CI; 1.34-5.68], education [AOR=9.28, 95%CI: 3.24-26.57], occupation [AOR=2.47, 95%CI: 1.08-5.66], and average monthly income [AOR= 2.58, 95%CI: 1.57-4.23]. Conclusion: The prevalence of illness among informally established housing units were more than formally established housing units. Diarrheal diseases, malaria, typhoid and typhus were the most infectious diseases found to be prevalent in informally established housing units, so that expansions of income generating activities and taking corrective measures to minimize the adverse effects of environmental problems on health status of the people are recommended.