Environmental Health and its Impacts on Mental Health and Health-related Quality of Life in District Bannu: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Objective: To determine the effect of environmental health parameters on mental Health in District Bannu.

Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted in district Bannu from October 2015 to March 2016 by using a Two-stage stratified cluster sampling technique. The total sample size was 548 households. The dependent variable was Mental Health, and independent variables were Environmental health status (water, noise and odor), age, marital status, education, socioeconomic status, occupation and smoking. Proportions were compared by applying the chi-square test. STATA 13.1 was used for analysis.

Results: This study consists of 548 household. Adults from 314(33.91 house hold) from urban areas and 612 (66.09) from rural areas, across district. Age was having significant association with physiological wellbeing (P value = 0.07). Females showed significant sleep disturbance due to noise (P Value= 0.008) while in male it was not significant (p Value 0.06). Smell (odor) also has an impact on the participant’s residence areas. Male were more affected (P. value 0.01) compared to females (P. value 0.48). Rural and urban both areas showed significant association with water satisfaction (Value 0.006). The mean GHQ score is 21.13 (SD ± 6.7) which shows a severe mental health problem and physiological distress in adult household occupants of district Bannu.

Conclusion: The problems occurring to mental health due to environmental factors are more in Pakistan especially in District Bannu compared to other countries. Environmental factors such as water, noise and smell has a greater impact on the mental health of the people living in the District Bannu.