Knowledge and Awareness of the Effects of Air Pollution on the Health of Motorcycle Riders in Coker/Aguda Local Council Development Area
Chapter One
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to examine the knowledge and awareness of the effects of air pollution on the health of motorcycle riders in Coker/Aguda Local Council Development Area.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
The purpose of this study is to examine the knowledge and awareness of the effects of air pollution on the health of motorcycle riders in Coker/Aguda Local Council Development Area in Lagos State. This chapter reviews the literature relevant to the study.
- Concept of Air Pollution
- Causes and Effects of Air Pollution
- Control and Prevention of Air Pollution.
- Man and His Environment
- Characteristics of Motorcycle Riders.
- Environmental Changes and Human Health
- Environmental Protection Efforts in Nigeria
- A brief on Coker/Aguda LCDA.
Concept of Air Pollution
Air pollution consists of gaseous, liquid, or solid substances that, when present in sufficient concentration, for a sufficient time, and under certain conditions, tend to interfere with human comfort, health or welfare, and cause environmental damage. Air pollution causes acid rain, ozone depletion, photochemical smog, and other such phenomena. The substances that cause air pollution are called pollutants. Pollutants that are pumped into our atmosphere and directly pollute the air are called primary pollutants. Primary pollutant examples include carbon monoxide from car exhausts and sulfur dioxide from the combustion of coal. Air borne pollutants can either be solid particles, or even liquids and gases; natural or man-made. In the country, the dust given off by tractors working on fields, vehicles being driven on gravel or dirt tracks, smoke given off by crop and wood being burnt, and work carried out in rock quarries, are some of the causes of air pollution (Agbaje, 2005).
Primary air pollutants are those that are directly emitted via some processes, like the ash from volcanoes or the carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide emissions from vehicles and factories, respectively (Warmer, 1976). Further pollution can arise if primary pollutants in the atmosphere undergo chemical reactions. The resulting compounds are called secondary pollutants. Photochemical smog is an example of this.
Secondary air pollutants are the result of the reactions or interactions of the primary pollutants. Sulfur oxides from volcanic eruptions and industrial processes oxidize in the presence of nitrogen dioxide to form acid rain. Carbon monoxide, the emission from combustion of fuels like wood and coal, is a very poisonous gas. Particulate matter can be both, natural as well as manmade. This pollutant originates within dust storms, volcanoes, forest fires or wildfires and sea sprays. Human activities contribute to nearly 10% of the aerosols in the atmosphere.
Sources of air pollution are many and commonly include anthropogenic sources or those that result from human activity and natural sources like dust methane, radioactive decay and volcanic ash particulates. In the days before the proliferation of large cities and industries, nature’s own systems kept the air fairly clean. Wind mixed and dispersed the gases, rain washed the dust and other easily dissolved substances to the ground and plants absorbed carbon dioxide and replaced it with oxygen. With increasing urbanization and industrialization, humans started to release more wastes into the atmosphere than nature could not cope with. Since then, more pollution has been added to the air by industrial, commercial and domestic sources. As these sources are usually found in major cities, the gases that are produced are usually concentrated in the air around them. It is when these concentrate gases, exceed safe limits that we have a pollution problem. Nature can no longer manage air pollution without our help.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This study examined the knowledge and awareness of the effects of air pollution on the health of motorcycle riders in Coker/Aguda Local Council Development Area using five selected junctions within the community. This chapter is discussed under the following sub-headings:
- Research Method
- Population
- Sample and Sampling Techniques
- Research Instrument
- Validity of Instrument
- Method for Data Collection
- Method for Data Analysis.
Research Method
The descriptive research method was used for this study. Descriptive research method is concerned with the collection and analysis of data for the purpose of describing, evaluating or comparing current or revealing practices, events or occurrences (Abiola, 2007). This study examined the knowledge and awareness of the effects of air pollution on the health of motorcycle riders. For the study, questionnaire was administered to get information.
Population of the Study
Population of a study is the particular trait, event, people or subject that is being studied (Abiola, 2007). Esan and Okafor (1995) described population as the aggregation of all units in a target universe. The population for this study comprised of motorcycle riders in Coker/Aguda Local Council Development Area in Surulere Local Government Area.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
This study examined the knowledge and awareness of effect of air pollution on the health of motorcycle riders in Coker/Aguda Local Council Development Area. This chapter presents analysis of data and discussion of findings under the following sub headings.
- a. Descriptive Statistics
- b. Testing of Hypotheses
- c. Discussion of Findings
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This Study examined the knowledge and awareness of the effect of air pollution on the health of motorcycle riders in Coker/Aguda Local Council Development Area. This chapter is presented under the following subheadings:
- Summary
- Conclusion
- Recommendation
Summary
The purpose of this study was to examine the knowledge and awareness of the effects of air pollution on the health of motorcycle riders: Chapter one introduced the study with the background Study, statement of the problem, purpose of the study, research questions, research hypotheses, delimitation, limitation, significance of the study, and operational definition of terms.
Literature was reviewed in chapter two with subheadings related to air pollution. Related literature was discussed under concept of air pollution, causes and effects of air pollution, control and prevention of air pollution, man and his environment, characteristics of motorcycle riders, environmental changes and human health, environmental protection efforts in Nigeria and a brief on Coker/Aguda LCDA.
Chapter three discussed methods and procedures adopted in carrying out the study. The research method used was the descriptive survey. The population for this study comprised of motorcycle riders from five selected junctions in Coker/Aguda Local Council Development. The purposive sampling technique was chosen to select sample of twenty (20) in four of the Junctions and thirty (30) in the remaining one junction. The research instrument used in carrying out this Study was a self developed structured questionnaire which was based on the two variables in the stated hypotheses. For the purpose of this Study, simple percentage analysis was adopted and each of the hypotheses was accepted or rejected based on the strength of agreement or disagreement.
Chapter four presented the analysis of result and discussed the findings of the study. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the distribution of respondents by age. Simple percentage was used to test each hypothesis
Conclusion
From the findings, the following conclusion were made:
- Motorcycle riders in Coker/Aguda local councildeve1opment
area are knowledgeable about the effect of air pollution on their health
- Motorcycle ride in Coker/Aguda local council development area are aware of the effects of air pollution on their health
- Age will not influence the knowledge and effects of air pollution on the health of motorcycle riders in Coker/Aguda LCDA.
Recommendations
Based on the findings of the study it is recommended that:
- Seminar should be organized periodically to educate motorcycle riders inensuring a conducive and enabling environment for good living.
- Law enforcement agency should encourage motorcycle riders to go for ministry of Transportation (MOT) test to avoid air pollution.
- State government should recommend nose bluff to the motorcycle riders in prevention of respiratory disorders.
- More research should be carried out in the area of effect of air pollution on health.
- The Use of eye goggle should also be recommended in the prevention of itching and discomfort of the eye.
REFERENCES
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- Browning, Air Pollution. Microsoft® Encarta® 2009 [DVD]. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation, 2008.
- Chinedu, E.F. (2001). Managing a contemporary introduction. Eaglewood cliffs; Prentice Hall.
- Compton Interactive Encyclopedia, (2001). Macropaedia knowledge in- depth. Vol.7, USA Encyclopedia Britannia, inc.
- Esan, A,O. & Okafor, U.C. (1995). Recreation and leisure in modern society. Benin: Appleton Century Costs.
- Haastrup, E.A. & Adeogun, F.O. (2005). Mental health and physical fitness: University Press
- Idodo-Umeh, G. (2010). College biology. Benin City: Idodo-Umeh Publishers Limited.
- Warmer,C.E. (1976). Family and class in London suburb, London: New English Library. Retrieved fromhttp://www.academia.edu/1370576
