Minimising health risks and enhancing residential building occupant’s safety in Nigeria

Abstract

Housing as an essential component of human life has not been given prominence in global health. Meanwhile, housing conditions can significantly impact the physical, mental and social well-being of residents. In Nigeria, poor housing habitability is a threat to public health which has exacerbated building-related illness (BRI), and triggered outbreaks of infectious diseases among the residents. This research examined the quality of housing and habitability provision in Nigeria with a view to minimize health risks and enhance the residents’' physical, mental and social well-being. A structured questionnaire was administered to 120 respondents to solicits relevant data for the study. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the collated data at various levels of the research. Findings indicate a significant effect of poor housing conditions such as inadequate ventilation, dampness, and overcrowding on the wellbeing of occupants in dwellings which lead to outbreaks of infectious diseases such as respiratory illness, allergies, and psychological distress. The study concludes that inadequate and poor housing quality promote poor building habitability, causing outbreak of infectious diseases and increased health risk for occupants. The study recommends that authorities in the housing for adequate habitation, promoting health and safety of occupants and reducing the rate of outbreaks of infectious diseases. Also, there should be continuous public enlightment among the people on the health implications of their living