Health Risk Awareness of Electronic Waste: A Cross‑sectional Study among Smartphone Users in the Lake Zone, Tanzania

Introduction: Electronic waste (e‑waste) poses a growing global concern with significant health and environmental implications. This study examined e‑waste awareness among smartphone users in Tanzania’s Lake Zone using phones with e‑waste components. Methods: A cross‑sectional study categorized participants into three groups: agricultural farmers, smartphone traders, and livestock keepers. The research took place from May to June 2023, involving a semi‑structured interviewer‑administered questionnaire that integrated a combination of open‑ended and closed‑ended questions for data collection. The study investigates e‑waste health risk awareness among 288 smartphone users, including 71 business owners, 115 farmers, and 102 livestock keepers. Semi‑structured questionnaire was used to gather data on sociodemographics and e‑waste‑related knowledge, attitudes, and practices). The data were analyzed through two‑way analysis of variance. Results: Among the 288 surveyed smartphone users, 56.2% (n = 162) were males, 43.8% (n = 126) were females, and 60.1% (n = 173) were young adults aged 18–37 years. Phone usage experience is positively correlated with higher. However, its effects on attitudes (P = 0.148, ŋ² = 0.19) and practices (P = 0.086, ŋ² = 0.24) are relatively smaller. In addition, urban residential location impacts knowledge (P = 0.006, ŋ² 0.15) and attitudes (P = 0.003, ŋ² 0.08) related to e‑waste health risks but does not significantly affect e‑waste‑related practices P = 0.095, ŋ² = 0.09). Conclusion: Initiatives should target individuals with limited smartphone exposure, addressing knowledge gaps while considering the geographical context and challenges in both rural and urban areas to improve e‑waste awareness.