Envirnomental Health

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Browsing Envirnomental Health by Author "Wael Abdul Majeed Okasha"

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    Assessment of Domestic Electricity Generators Hazards in Jabalia Camp, Gaza Strip
    (Al-Quds University, 2012-08-13) Wael Abdul Majeed Okasha; وائل عبد المجيد عكاشة
    This study titled "Assessment of Domestic Electricity Generators Hazards in Jabalia Camp, Gaza Strip" was conducted in the year 2011 in Jabalia Camp. The domestic electricity generators has be come a cause for different health and environmental hazards in particular emission gases and noise pollution. The study aimed to assess the health/environmental hazards of domestic electricity generators on the population in Jabalia camp. Methodology: A descriptive analytic cross sectional study was conducted on the houses in Jabalia Refugee Camp that have electricity generators using face to face questionnaire. A total of 265 questionnaires were distributed to the study population using two stages sampling method (stratified then random) A sum of 260 questionnaires were received with a response rate of 98%. The researcher used the SPSS, processing and analyzing the data. The percentage of CO concentration in the air was measured about half meter away from the exhaust of the generator by Mini Worn device. Then, the noise pollution level was measured by Sound Level Meter device from the place where the family gathers. Results: The results revealed that the percentage of the age of the person who operates the generator of the sample is 6.2% of less than 14 years; about 10.4% of the respondents place their generator inside the house. In addition, 7.7% had accidents caused by the generator at house, and 65% of the incidents were fires, 20% were explosions, and 15% were due to electric shocks. Also, one fatality case was reported. The complaints among the study population were as follow, nervousness 16.7%, headache 15.4%, breathing difficulty 13.7%, dizziness 12.4%, chest pain 12.1%, sleeping disturbances 9.3%, coughing 7.4%, tremor in extremities 7.0%, and loss of balance 6.0%. About 16.2% feel that they had negative changes in the hearing level for at least one family member in the last four years, and 96.5% of the study population think that noise pollution affects on their sleeping. The concentration level of CO as follow: 0.1% in the 42.3% of the study population, 0.05% in the 31.2% of them, and 0.01% in the 26.5% of the sample. Also, the noise pollution level in decibel were:61-90 db in 52.3% of the study population, and 31-60 db in 47.7% of the study population. The results showed that, there is statistically significant relationship between the carbon monoxide and the headache, with a p-value of 0.035, and between the noise pollution level and hearing problems due to the last four years, with a p-value of 0.049. Recommendations: The study provided a set of recommendations such as authorities are urge to make the effort required to accelerate the process of solving the issue of power cuts in Gaza Strip as soon as possible, generators should placed as far as possible from the people, reduce number of operation hours, the age of the person who operates the generators should not be less than 20 years old. and conducting of educational extension programs.