Harmful Traditional Practices and their Perceived Health Effects among Residents of a Semi-Urban Community in South-South Nigeria

Background: Harmful traditional practices remain a public health concern because of their potential physical, psychological, and social consequences. Their persistence is influenced by cultural beliefs, family expectations, social norms, and perceptions of their health effects. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess knowledge of harmful traditional practices and their perceived health effects among residents of Okada, Edo State, Nigeria.Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among adult residents of Okada. A multistage sampling technique was used to recruit respondents from selected residential clusters. Data were collected using a structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire assessing sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge of harmful traditional practices, and perceived health effects. Knowledge was assessed using a 9-point composite score and categorized as poor, fair, or good. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 27. Descriptive statistics, chi-square/Fisher’s exact tests, and binary logistic regression were used, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.Results: A total of 294 respondents participated, giving a 99.3% response rate. The mean age was 39.34 ± 11.96 years, and 181 (61.6%) were female. Most respondents, 260 (88.4%), had heard of harmful traditional practices. Early/child marriage (77.2%) and female genital mutilation (75.5%) were the most commonly recognized practices. Infection (72.8%), and psychological trauma (71.1%) were the most frequently recognized health risks. The mean knowledge score was 6.28 ± 1.37 (69.8%), with 138 (46.9%) demonstrating good knowledge, 130 (44.2%) fair knowledge, and 26 (8.8%) poor knowledge.Conclusion: Residents of Okada demonstrated generally good awareness and moderate-to-good knowledge of harmful traditional practices. However, important gaps existed in knowledge of relevant laws and policies, while perceptions of traditional practices remained inconsistent. Community-based health education involving healthcare workers, schools, families, community leaders, and the media should emphasize practice-specific health risks, correct misconceptions, and improve awareness of legal protections against harmful traditional practices.