Health Risk Assessment and Vulnerability of Children in Flood Prone Area of Makassar

Indonesia is highly vulnerable to disasters such as floods, volcanic eruptions and others. These will expose those who live in the disaster-prone areas to flood, which in time will lead to the exposure of environmental-based diseases. This study aims to explore ​​the vulnerability of health risk assessment and children under five years old in flood-prone areas of Manggala village Tamangapa District of Makassar.

This study was driven by cross sectional study design. The data collection was performed by direct interview using a questionnaire to a number of respondents in 129 houses and 53 children aged 1–4 years at Tamangapa, direct observation and sampling faeces. The data are processed using SPSS utilising statistical test Chi Square and applied Environmental risk category by the approach of Environmental Health Risk Assessments (EHRA).

The results reveal that the environment of flood-prone areas that are in RT 04 RW 06 in the category of risk is very high at 229 with an index value of environmental health risks 212–229. Meanwhile, RT 04 RW 05 are in the category of less risk in the amount of 155 with an index of 155–173. While the children under five years old obtained as much as 13.2% positive infected with Ascaris lumbricoides. Means of existing toilet (p = 0.030) and nail hygiene (p = 0.041) significantly affect the incidence of worm infection on children under five years old in flood prone areas of Tamangapa, Makassar.

The study concludes children under five are vulnerable to environmental based diseases in floods prone areas in Makassar and it is highly recommended to people living in the prone area to be more concerned with the hygiene and environmental health sanitation.