PERCEPTION OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG HOUSEHOLD HEADS IN GONDAR ZURIA DISTRICT NORTHWEST ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Back ground: Climate change is a significant and emerging threat to public health(1). WHO estimates that climate change already accounts for more than 60,000 deaths globally from climate-related natural disasters every year? Ethiopia has been subjected to drought, floods, new insect pests, new vector-borne diseases and other problems made worse by climate change. Understanding climate change perceptions of the community would help to generate additional information relevant to policy and interventions for the adaptation and mitigation program. Objectives: To assess Perception of climate change and associated factors among households in Gondar zuria district, Northwest Ethiopia. Methods: Community based cross sectional study was conducted from March 23- march 27/2015. A total of 427 sample household heads were selected using systematic random sampling method from selected kebeles.The data were collected using an interviewer administrated questionnaire. The Data was entered and analyzed by epi-info version 7 and SPSS version 16. For further analysis bivariable and multivariable logistic regression were used to find out the association between independent and outcome variables. The result was presented & interpreted at (p-value ≤ 0.05 considered as statically significant). Result: Out of the total respondents 238 (58.5%) had good overall perception towards climate change causes and effects. 78.8% and 77.8% of the respondents have perceived that temperatures and rainfall pattern has become changed respectively. The multivariable logistic regression analysis showed knowledge (AOR:1.8, 95%CI:1.04-3.20), wealth index (AOR: 7.45, 95%CI:3.30-16.00), access to climate information (AOR: 6.80, 95%CI:4.1-11.9), farming experiences (AOR:7.8, 95%CI :2.46-24.8), and occupational status (AOR:2.9, 95%CI:1.22-7.13) of the head of household were statistically significant independent predictors of climate change perception. Conclusion: The levels of CC perceptions among respondents were inadequate to mitigate and adapt the change in climate. Knowledge, wealth index, access to climate information, farming experiences and occupation of the head of household were statistically significant with climate change perception.