Environmental Worry of River State Residents in the Niger Delta Region, Nigeria

Abstract

Human-made cataclysmic events from over 50 years of oil production, gas explosions, and oil spillages soak the Niger Delta pose psychological challenges to the people in the environment. Thus this study examined environmental worry of Rivers State residents of Niger Delta, Nigeria. Data collected were analysed using independent t-test and one-way ANOVA. The findings of the FGD revealed that there is an awareness of loss of land, loss of control of technical networks in oil production and experience of environmental degradation. Additionally, the survey results showed a significant difference on environmental worry based on sex and age. However, nativity, employment status and educational status did not significantly differentiate between groups on environmental worry. The implication of the results of the study is discussed in line with relevance of residents' expectations, prospects and choice of enduring lifestyle, living and survival.

Health Risks Associated with Oil Pollution in the Niger Delta, Nigeria

“…The prevalence rates found in this study are comparable to or higher than reported in other studies in the country because our instrument was designed to measure the symptom burden in each participant’s household during the six months prior to the study; we show that the disease burden in a participant’s household is higher than that for the particular individual. As in many other previous studies [ 5 , 6 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ], we found the symptoms to be correlated with the measures of exposure. The HSI score was found in this study to be significantly correlated with the distance of participant’s residence from visible oil or EEQ1 ( r = −0.213, p < 0.001); distance of participant’s residence from gas flaring facility or EEQ2 ( r = −0.60, p < 0.001); self-reported direct contact with oil pollution or EEQ3 ( r = 0.185, p < 0.001); and oil pollution in drinking water or EQ4 ( r = 0.271, p < 0.001).…”

“…Studies in many parts of the world suggest that living near oil spills and petroleum production sites is an environmental stressor that can have adverse effects on health, well-being, and quality of life [ 9 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 ]. In general, oil spills/pollution can influence human health through two complementary pathways: (a) exposures to the inherently hazardous chemicals such as para-phenols and volatile benzene from the oil which can directly impair health through systemic toxicity; and (b) indirect pathways that work through the perceptions of risk, worry, annoyance, and chronic stress that moderate the sequelae of poor health outcomes.…”

“…Although health problems are cited in these studies to support the contention that concern for a clean environment is a reason for community-industry conflicts, there have been few systematic health studies to back up such claims [ 1 , 5 ]. Reliable information on the effects of oil pollution on the physiological health of people in the Niger Delta is very limited (reviewed by Nriagu [ 1 ]; Ordinioha and Brisibe [ 6 ]), and even less is known about the psychological effects of living with such environmental adversity [ 7 , 9 ]. The first goal of this study is to determine the prevalence and correlates of two health outcome measures (namely, functional capacity limitation and health symptoms) and emotional distress (environmental worry, environmental annoyance and environmental intolerance) in an area of the Niger Delta where oil pollution is rampant.…”

Miscarriage, stillbirth, and infant death in an oil‐polluted region of the Niger Delta, Nigeria: A retrospective cohort study

“…This suggests that increased oil pollution could affect the sociodemographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the population. A negative impact on the quality of life, health, and well‐being among residents living near oil spills and petroleum production sites has been reported 15,16 . Furthermore, there is a significant difference in oil pollution exposure characteristics between women with high exposure and women with low exposure, with strong credence given to the detrimental effects of oil pollution among respondents with high exposure.…”

The power of information on customers’ social withdrawal and citizenship behavior in a crowded service environment

“…Behavioral constraint theory premises that when human beings perceive a threat to their behavioral freedom due to spatial confinement, they are motivated to react by engaging in actions (i.e. enacting behavioral adaptation strategies) designed to reassert or maintain their behavioral freedom (Akinbobola and Njor, 2014; Andrews et al , 2015; Sommer, 2009; Stokols, 1972). Crowds are usually threatening and restricting.…”