부산대학교 도서관

The study investigated students' perception of factors affecting environmental sanitation in the female hostels of the University of Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria. A sample of two hundred female students was chosen by simple random sampling. The research instrument was a 19-item structured five-point Likert type questionnaire. Responses to the questionnaire were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results showed that students felt that the sanitary condition of their hostels was poor because most of the basic elements of environmental health were inadequate, such as safe water and basic sanitation. Factors perceived to promote good environmental sanitation were identified as: creation of awareness, inclusion of environmental sanitation in the school curriculum, and those that are responsible for poor environmental sanitation: improper refuse disposal, inadequate personnel. Results also showed that although many students could identify diseases associated with environmental sanitation, only about half of them (54%) agreed that typhoid fever is one of such diseases. The implication of this for the health of the population is glaring since typhoid fever has become endemic in Nigeria. There is need for improvement in the environmental sanitation of the country and proper enlightenment among university students as their knowledge will positively affect their life styles.