Minimising Health Risks and Enhancing Residential Building Occupants’ Safety in Minna, 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 illnesses (BRI), and triggers outbreaks of infectious diseases among the residents. This research examined the safety and habitability of residential housing provision in Nigeria with a view to minimise health risks and enhance the residents’ physical, mental, and social well-being. A structured questionnaire was administered in 120 residence units to solicit relevant data for the study. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse 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 residential dwellings, which lead to outbreaks of infectious diseases such as respiratory illnesses, allergies, and psychological distress. The study concludes that inadequate and poor housing quality promote poor building habitability, which encourages the outbreak of infectious diseases and increases the health risk of the occupants. The study recommends that authorities in the housing sector should provide policies to ensure adequate and well-constructed housing for adequate habitable housing, which promotes the health and safety of the occupants and reduces the rate of outbreaks of infectious diseases. Also, there should be continuous public enlightenment among the people on the health implications of their living conditions to minimise health risk.