STUDENTS PERCEPTION OF SANITATION IN THE CAPE COAST MUNICIPALITY

Background:Poor sanitation is a danger to many parts of the world including Ghana. Efforts over the years by the government of Ghana and other environmental NGOs to address this canker have not yielded the required results.

Objectives:This study sought to investigate University of Cape Coast (UCC) distance students perception of prevalence, causes, and diseases associated with poor sanitation and strategies that can be applied to address the problem.

Methodology:The study applied themixed method approach and the descriptive research design. The convenience sampling technique and a structured questionnaire comprising open and close-ended items were applied to obtain data from 294 distance education students made up of 158 males and 136 females aged between 26 and 50years pursuing either diploma, degree or masters programme at the University of Cape Coast.

Results:Refuse dumps were perceived as the most prevalent insanitary condition;attitude as the topmost cause of poor sanitation and malaria as the commonest sanitation-related disease. Students perceived the supply of adequate and appropriate sanitation infrastructure, public education and law enforcementas the three top strategies for improving sanitation in the Cape Coast municipality. Students perception of causes of poor sanitation as well as sanitation-related diseases was unrelated to ones level of education.

Conclusions:Poor sanitation is a major health problem in the Cape Coast municipality. Adequate and appropriate sanitation infrastructure, public education and law enforcement are three important strategies recommended by students fordealing withpoor sanitation in the Cape Coast municipality.