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Exploring the impact of water scarcity awareness by transnational Nigerians and its effect on the willingness to contribute to water scarcity relief efforts in Nigeria


Monday, November 2, 2015

Kelechi Ibe-Lamberts, M.S Community Health, Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL
Daudet Ilunga Tshiswaka, Ph.D. (c), College of Applied Health Sciences/Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL
Background: Of the African immigrants living in the greater Chicago area, Nigerian people represent by far the largest African community with nearly 30,000 people. And while Nigerians have immigrated to the United States for many reasons, water scarcity in their homeland and the resulting pandemics often linked to it have induced many to immigrate.

Purpose:This qualitative studyexplored correlations between transnational Nigerians’ knowledge of water scarcity in their homeland and their readiness to contribute to water scarcity relief efforts.

Methods:We conducted in-depth interviews in the Chicago area among members of the Nigerian Hometown Association (an ethnic-based organization) in order to obtain insight into the interplay between the knowledge of water scarcity in Nigeria and the willingness of transnational Nigerian people to support relief efforts through remittances. The interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and then analyzed using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) as a theoretical framework.

Results:Three primary themes emerged: (1) awareness (2) concern and (3) altruism. Moreover, while the findings identified a relationship between awareness and altruistic contributions to water scarcity relief efforts, the relationship is not direct.

Conclusion:While the transnational Nigerian community is well aware of water scarcity as a problem, it is not a main target of altruistic efforts amongst them. Several additional factors need to be addressed, then, if progress to alleviate water scarcity in Nigeria would be made by appealing to the transnational Nigerian community. Future studies should also focus on other several factors that may impact transnational activities, willingness to send remittancesalong with health habits within these Transnational Nigerian communities in correlation to water scarcity; including the involvement of government policies and approach to alleviate the utility issues in Nigeria.

Learning Areas:

Diversity and culture
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Define water scarcity and its effect on both urban and rural areas and how its potential as a future epidemic in Africa Discuss the emerging concept of transntional migrants and particular behaviors that aid in the construct of the identity of this specific group. Identify transnational activities that distinguish transnational migrants from common immigrants in their respective locations.

Keyword(s): Water & Health, Immigrant Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been the primary investigator of this particular study. I was the organizer and designer of this project. My scientific interest has been transnational African's behavior and beliefs along with my involvement in other focuses on the development of culturally competent health services and agendas for transnational migrants.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 3101.0: Poster Session 1