Cooking Fuels in Lagos, Nigeria: Factors Associated with Household Choice of Kerosene or Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)

Obianuju B. Ozoh, Tochi J. Okwor, Olorunfemi Adetona, Ayesha O. Akinkugbe, Casmir E. Amadi, Christopher Esezobor, Olufunke O. Adeyeye, Oluwafemi Ojo, Vivian N. Nwude and Kevin Mortimer
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Obianuju B. Ozoh: College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Idi-Araba, Lagos 100254, Nigeria
Tochi J. Okwor: University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Ituku Ozalla, Enugu 400114, Nigeria
Olorunfemi Adetona: College of Public Health, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
Ayesha O. Akinkugbe: College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Idi-Araba, Lagos 100254, Nigeria
Casmir E. Amadi: College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Idi-Araba, Lagos 100254, Nigeria
Christopher Esezobor: College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Idi-Araba, Lagos 100254, Nigeria
Olufunke O. Adeyeye: College of Medicine, Lagos State University, Ikeja, Lagos 100271, Nigeria
Oluwafemi Ojo: Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Lagos 100254, Nigeria
Vivian N. Nwude: Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Lagos 100254, Nigeria
Kevin Mortimer: Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, UK

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 4, 1-13

Abstract: Cooking with dirty-burning fuels is associated with health risk from household air pollution. We assessed the prevalence of and factors associated with the use of cooking fuels, and attitudes and barriers towards use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). This was a cross-sectional, population-based survey conducted in 519 households in Lagos, Nigeria. We used a structured questionnaire to obtain information regarding choice of household cooking fuel and the attitudes towards the use of LPG. Kerosene was the most frequently used cooking fuel ( n = 475, 91.5%; primary use n = 364, 70.1%) followed by charcoal ( n = 159, 30.6%; primary use n = 88, 17%) and LPG ( n = 86, 16.6%; primary use n = 63, 12.1%). Higher level of education, higher income and younger age were associated with LPG vs. kerosene use. Fuel expenditure on LPG was significantly lower than for kerosene ( N (Naira) 2169.0 ± 1507.0 vs. N 2581.6 ± 1407.5). Over 90% of non-LPG users were willing to switch to LPG but cited safety issues and high cost as potential barriers to switching. Our findings suggest that misinformation and beliefs regarding benefits, safety and cost of LPG are important barriers to LPG use. An educational intervention program could be a cost-effective approach to improve LPG adoption and should be formally addressed through a well-designed community-based intervention study.

Keywords: cooking fuels; kerosene; liquefied petroleum gas; attitudes and barriers (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (9)

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