IWRA Proceedings

(a) Purpose or objectives and status of study or research hypothesis
The study is aimed at examining the challenges of persons with physical disabilities in accessing WaSH and for sustainable universal health coverage. A case study from Lagos metropolis, Nigeria.

(b) Key issue(s) or problem(s) addressed
Persons with physical disabilities in developing countries are confronted with serious challenges ranging from physical, social, and institutional in accessing water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities compared to their peers without disabilities. It is estimated that one billion people in the world with disabilities lack access to safe water. To achieve the WASH-related SDG goal 6, the inclusion of persons with physical disabilities in WASH provision is critical for sustainable universal health coverage.

(c) Methodology or approach used
Data were collected from three Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Lagos metropolis on the challenges of persons with physical disabilities in accessing WaSH facilities. The LGAs were selected using random sampling techniques. Thereafter, 50 structured questionnaires each were administered in each LGA totaling 150 using a systematic method to collect information from the respondents. Descriptive, cross-tabulation and factor analysis were employed for data analysis. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) was employed for the assessment of disability. The results were presented using charts and tables while ArcMap 10.3.1 was used to generate the study area map.

(d) Results and conclusions derived from the project
The result shows that the male was the majority with the dominant age group of 30 to 39 years. About 51.3% of the respondents engage in alms begging as a source of livelihood. Approximately 42.7% live in a public building. The crippled constitute the dominant persons with physical disabilities with the major cause attributed to natural occurrence. Greater proportions representing 64.0% of the lack of access to WaSH facilities. About 28.0% claimed they have difficulties in accessing WaSH facilities are difficult to access. Regarding the adequacy of WaSH facilities, 86.0% of the respondents claimed there is high inadequacy of WaSH amenities while the satisfaction on the quality service delivery of WaSH facilities indicate that 65.3%, 30.0%, and 4.7% rated it unsatisfactory,  fairly satisfactory, and satisfactory respectively. The factor analysis extracted 5 main components with a cumulative variance of 73.48% in the data set. The five components were classified into three major factors affecting respondents’ access to WaSH facilities namely; accessibility factor (distance covered, time taken, and waiting time to access water), social factor (low esteem, verbal abuse, and limited privacy), and design factor (difficult staircase, weight of container, wet/slippery floors). Respondents coping strategies indicate that the majority representing 96.6, 74.7, and 73.3% of the respondents depend on family members, neighbors, and machines to access WaSH facilities in the study area. The study concluded that accessibility, social, and design of
amenities factors are responsible for the challenges of persons with physical disabilities in the study area.

(e) Implications of the project relevant to selected conference theme, theory and/or practice
The outcome of this study has substantial policy implications that will serve as a valuable source of information on the population of persons with physical disabilities in Lagos metropolis as it relates WaSH. The result will also serve as baseline information for policy, guidelines, and infrastructure/technology design that can be employed to enhanced access to WaSH facilities by persons with physical disabilities for improved healthy living conditions.