POTABLE WATER PREFERENCES OF THE EMPLOYEES WORKING IN TOKAT PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTORATE AND THE IMPACTING FACTORS

POTABLE WATER PREFERENCES OF THE EMPLOYEES WORKING IN TOKAT PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTORATE AND THE IMPACTING FACTORS

Abstract:Objective: The objective of our study was to examine potable water preferred by the staff employed within the Tokat Public Health Directorate Province Center (central building) as well as the factors which generated this preference. Material and Methods: A total of 127 personnel are employed with Tokat Public Health Directorate Province Center out of which 108 (85%) have been accessed.. In the statistical analysis, numbers (n), percentage were used for descriptive data, Chi-square test was used to compare the data obtained by counting. Statistical significance level was accepted as p <0.05. Results: The average age of the respondents in our study was 39.1±8.0 and 41.7% were male and 58.3% were female. It has been determined that 31.5% of the respondents consumed packaged water, 47.2% preferred tap water, 19.4% consumed water treated with a purifier while 1.9% consumed water collected from the village fountain as potable water. 96.8% of those who reported that they preferred packaged water for potable water indicated that they had been influenced by the contents (mineral, PH value…), 26.3% said that they preferred the water because the producer was a local company, 23.4% were impressed with easy availability, 11.7% said they had been influenced by peer recommendations and orientation whereas 26.4% reported that they were impressed with the way the water was stored. Conclusion: The employees of Tokat Public Health Directorate's Province Center trust and prefer to use tap water as drinking water. Respondents' knowledge of packaged water is not sufficient and instruction is needed in this regard.

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  • Özkan YAŞAYANCAN, Cihat ZÜLFÜOĞULLLARI, Seyhan ÖZELCE, Esra SER DEMİR, Nazım CABA (Tokat Halk Sağlığı Müdürlüğü)