Lifestyle pattern in selected slums in Mymensingh Municipal area

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Sociology
• Urban Studies

Background:

• Lifestyle encompasses cultural, behavioral patterns, and personal habits influencing health outcomes.
• Urbanization and rural-to-urban migration contribute to the growing slum population.
• Health challenges are often linked to lifestyle changes, particularly in urban settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the lifestyle patterns of residents in four selected slums in Mymensingh Municipal area.
• To identify health-related behaviors and living conditions within the slum population.

Main Methods:

• Descriptive, cross-sectional study design.
• Non-probability purposive sampling of 123 families.
• Data collected via interviewer-administered questionnaires with adult family members.

Main Results:

• High illiteracy rates (42.54%), significant smoking prevalence (81.15%), and low monthly income (64.23% between 2000-4999 Taka).
• Poor housing conditions (44.72% in 'kaccha' houses, 32.52% in 'Jhupree' huts) and inadequate sanitation (open-air defecation by 1.63%).
• While most families use tube wells for water (100%) and have latrines (98.37%), sanitary latrine usage is lower (64.46%).
• High mobile phone ownership (69.92%) contrasts with lower rates of other recreational facilities.
• Handwashing knowledge is adequate (60.98%), but practice is lower (88.00% of those with knowledge practice it).
• Most families seek medical help (89.43%), primarily from government hospitals (56.36%), with cost being a major preference factor (52.71%).

Conclusions:

• Slum dwellers face considerable challenges due to low income and inadequate education, impacting their living conditions.
• Poor physical environments and unsanitary practices are prevalent, indicating an unacceptable current lifestyle.
• Improvements in lifestyle are crucial for slum dwellers to enhance their well-being and contribute to national development.