ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINANTS OF PARASITIC INFECTIONS AMONG WOMEN IN OBIO/AKPOR LGA, RIVERS STATE: A FOCUS ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND DEFORESTATION

الملخص

Background: Tropical parasitic diseases disproportionately affect women in rural and peri-urban Nigeria, particularly in regions like Obio/Akpor LGA, which are undergoing rapid land use changes and deforestation. Rising temperatures, altered rainfall, and habitat disruption are suspected to intensify parasite transmission.
Objective: This study investigates how climate change and deforestation contribute to the prevalence of malaria and soil-transmitted helminths among women in Obio/Akpor.
Methods: Using a cross-sectional, mixed-method design, 150 women aged 18–45 were sampled from 10 communities. Data included satellite-derived land-use analysis, local climate records, clinical screening for Plasmodium falciparum and helminths, and interviews on water use, sanitation, and deforestation exposure. Quantitative data were analyzed with logistic regression, and thematic analysis was performed on qualitative interviews.
Results: Malaria prevalence was 52%, while 38% had at least one soil-transmitted helminth infection. Higher infection odds were associated with deforested areas (OR = 2.8, 95% CI: 1.6–4.9, p < 0.001) and increased mean annual temperature (+1.2 °C; OR = 1.15 per 0.5 °C rise, 95% CI: 1.05–1.27, p = 0.004). Qualitative themes highlighted reliance on open-source water and stagnant pools in cleared lands as key exposure pathways.
Conclusion: Climate change and deforestation in Obio/Akpor are significant drivers of parasitic disease risk among women. Integrated environmental planning and health interventions such as reforestation, improved water sanitation, and adaptive mosquito control are urgently needed.