Knowledge and Preventive Measures of Wood Fuel-Related Health Risks Among Women in Anyigba Community, Kogi State, Nigeria

Wood fuel remains the dominant domestic energy source for women in rural and semi-urban communities across sub-Saharan Africa, despite its documented association with indoor air pollution and adverse respiratory outcomes. This study therefore, examined the knowledge and preventive measures of wood fuel-related health risks among women in Anyigba community, Dekina Local Government Area, Kogi State, Nigeria. The study was guided by five objectives, namely to determine the motivating factors responsible for wood fuel consumption, assess respondents' knowledge of the associated health risks, establish the prevalence of wood fuel use, examine respondents' perception of wood fuel consumption, and identify the preventive measures adopted to reduce the health risks associated with wood fuel use. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted, and a sample of 383 women was drawn using the Krejcie and Morgan (1970) formula and a purposive sampling technique across four locations within the community, out of which 350 questionnaires were correctly completed and analysed, representing a 91.4% response rate. A structured questionnaire was the principal instrument of data collection, and data were analysed using descriptive statistics (frequency and percentage) and inferential statistics (Chi-square test of independence and Pearson product-moment correlation) at the 0.05 level of significance. Findings showed that affordability and accessibility (74.3%) were the leading motivating factor for wood fuel consumption, and that a majority of respondents (68.9%) demonstrated a moderate-to-high level of knowledge of the health risks associated with wood fuel use, although this knowledge did not consistently translate into the adoption of preventive practices. The Chi-square analysis revealed a statistically significant relationship between motivating factors and preventive measures (χ² = 22.47, df = 6, p = .001), and between selected socio-demographic characteristics and respondents' perception of wood fuel consumption. The Pearson correlation further revealed a significant positive relationship between knowledge of health risks and adoption of preventive measures (r = .41, n = 350, p < .001). The study concluded that knowledge alone is insufficient to drive behavioural change without corresponding access to affordable alternative energy sources, and recommended targeted health education, subsidised improved cook-stove programmes and sustained community-based sensitisation campaigns for women in the study area.