Decentralized Solid Waste Management and Community Health Outcomes in Kampala, Uganda

Mustafe Mahamoud Abdillahi; Hodo Nur Osman; Rogers Barigayamwe

doi:10.63095/NBSEH.26.667609

Authors

Mustafe Mahamoud Abdillahi Kampala International University (ROR : https://ror.org/017g82c94), Uganda Institute of Social
Hodo Nur Osman Kampala International University (ROR : https://ror.org/017g82c94), Uganda Institute of Social Science.
Rogers Barigayamwe Kampala International University (ROR : https://ror.org/017g82c94), Uganda Institute of Social Science.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.63095/NBSEH.26.667609

Keywords:

Decentralized waste management, Community health outcomes

Abstract

The researchers conducted their study to evaluate how decentralized solid waste management systems affected community health in three different parishes of Kampala through their mixed-methods approach, which used household survey data from 361 participants and 12 key informant interviews. The quantitative analysis demonstrated a strong positive relationship between decentralized waste management (DWM) quality and health outcomes because DWM quality accounted for 73.4 percent of the changes in health outcomes, which were measured by perceived health outcomes (Adjusted R² = 0.734, p < 0.001). The qualitative research shows that DWM systems established by the community enable residents to protect their environment and their health.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

World Bank, 2018. What a Waste 2.0: A Global Snapshot of Solid Waste Management to 2050. (Washington, DC: World Bank). Available at: https://datatopics.worldbank.org/what-a-waste/trends_in_solid_waste_management.html

Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), 2024. Multidimensional Child Poverty in Uganda. Volume 2: Views of the Public. (Kampala: Uganda Bureau of Statistics). Available at: https://www.ubos.org/wp-content/uploads/publications/Qualitative-Child-Poverty-in-Uganda.pdf.

Ziraba, A.K., Haregu, T.N., & Mberu, B., 2021, A review and framework for understanding the potential impact of poor solid waste management on health in developing country cities. Journal of Urban Health 98(2), 158-170. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-020-00495-x

National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), 2024. National State of the Environment Report 2024. Kampala: National Environment Management Authority. Available at: https://undp.org/sites/g/files/zskgke326/files/2025-08/final_nsoer_2024-14-07-2025.pdf

Katusiimeh, M.W., Mol, A.P.J., & Burger, K., 2023, The emergence and institutionalization of hybrid waste governance in Kampala, Uganda. Journal of Environmental Management 347, 119131. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119131

Ssekamatte, D., Guzman, A.O., & Isunju, J.B., 2024, Determinants of household willingness to pay for improved solid waste collection services in informal settlements of Kampala City, Uganda. Waste Management & Research 42(2), 174-183. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X231188624

Vanapalli, K.R., Sharma, H.B., Ranjan, V.P., Samal, B., Bhattacharya, J., Dubey, B.K., & Goel, S., 2021, Challenges and strategies for effective plastic waste management during and post COVID-19 pandemic. Science of The Total Environment 750, 141514. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141514

Kizza, D., & Sengendo, H., 2020, Occupational health and safety risks among informal waste pickers in Kampala City, Uganda. Journal of Environment and Waste Management 7(1), 45-58. https://gtg.webhost.uoradea.ro/PDF/GTG-3-2025/gtg.61344-1554.pdf

Nabulo, G., Black, C.R., Craigon, J., & Young, S.D., 2022, Spatial correlation of soil contamination and informal waste disposal with childhood illness in peri-urban Kampala. Environmental Geochemistry and Health 44(11), 3985-4000. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-021-01180-x

Mosisa, G., & Yared, A., 2023, Community-based solid waste management and its health outcomes: A systematic review. BMC Public Health 23,1485. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-16379-z

Rappaport, J., 1981, In praise of paradox: A social policy of empowerment over prevention. American Journal of Community Psychology 9(1), 1-25. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00896357

Rappaport, J., 1987, Terms of empowerment/exemplars of prevention: Toward a theory for community psychology. American Journal of Community Psychology 15(2), 121-148. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00919275

Laverack, G., 2005, Public health: Power, empowerment and professional practice, 2nd ed., (Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan).

Zimmerman, M.A., 2000, Empowerment theory: Psychological, organizational, and community levels of analysis. In: Rappaport, J., Seidman, E. (Eds.), Handbook of community psychology. (New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers), pp. 43–63.

Miedema, S.S., Ometto, D., & Andrade, C.L., 2023, Beyond service delivery: Community empowerment in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) as a determinant of sustained health improvement. Social Science & Medicine 327, 115940. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.115940

Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), 1993, OECD core set of indicators for environmental performance reviews. (Paris: OECD Publishing).

Fransen, L., Hirai, T., & Schouten, P., 2023, Rethinking hybrid governance: How community empowerment shapes environmental outcomes in informal settlements. World Development 171, 106357. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2023.106357

Morgan, D.L., 2023, Pragmatism as a paradigm for mixed methods research. In: Johnson, R.B., Onwuegbuzie, A.J. (Eds.), The Routledge reviewer’s guide for mixed methods analysis. (London: Routledge), pp. 15–27.

Creswell, J.W., Plano Clark, V.L., 2018, Designing and conducting mixed methods research, 3rd ed., (Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications).

Fetters, M.D., Curry, L.A., & Creswell, J.W., 2013, Achieving integration in mixed methods designs--principles and practices. Health Services Research 48(6 Pt 2), 2134-2156. https://doi.org/10.1111/1475-6773.12117

Yamane, T., 1967, Statistics: An introductory analysis, 2nd ed. (New York: Harper & Row).

Etikan, I., Musa, S.A., & Alkassim, R.S., 2016, Comparison of convenience sampling and purposive sampling. American Journal of Theoretical and Applied Statistics 5(1), 1-4. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajtas.20160501.11

Braun, V., Clarke, V., 2022, Thematic analysis: A practical guide. (London: SAGE Publications).