‘Air quality is not something that you see with your naked eyes’: Knowledge, attitudes and perceptions about air pollution among stakeholders in the cities of Kampala and Jinja, Uganda

Abstract Background: Air pollution is a major health challenge worldwide and has dire implications for economic development and the environment. Understanding the knowledge and perceptions of societal actors is key to designing context-specific strategies. This study aimed to explore the knowledge and perspectives of stakeholders whose roles influenced air quality in Kampala and Jinja cities in Uganda.Method We identified and conducted in-depth semi-structural interviews with stakeholders in both cities about their knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of air quality, related health outcomes, measures, and collaborations in both cities. The framework method was adopted to analyse the transcripts.Results Respondents include stakeholders such as policymakers, businesses, academia, civil society organisations, and the media. Activities from industries (85%), transport (83%) and municipal waste (56%) were major concerns for stakeholders in both cities. 56% of the respondents in both cities related poor air quality to specific health outcomes such as asthma or lung cancer.