Abstract: Thunderstorms pose significant public health and disaster risks in Rwanda, making community knowledge, attitudes, and protective practices essential for effective risk reduction. This study assessed community members’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding thunderstorm risk reduction in Boneza and Gihango Sectors of Rutsiro District, Western Province, Rwanda. A quantitative descriptive cross-sectional design was employed among 394 community members aged 18 years and above. The sample was proportionally distributed between the two sectors, and participants were recruited through randomly selected community cooperatives and associations. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire in Kinyarwanda, which respondents completed independently where possible, with assistance provided to those who required support due to literacy limitations. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics in IBM SPSS Statistics Version 25.0. Based on a predetermined operational cut-off of 80%, the findings showed that 55.6% of respondents had good knowledge, 67.3% demonstrated positive attitudes, and 63.7% reported good protective practices. However, important knowledge gaps persisted. More than half of the respondents (53.3%) did not know that all thunderstorms produce lightning, while 44.2% were unaware that lightning can strike the same location more than once. Additionally, 30.7% considered bathing during lightning safe. Access to preparedness information was also limited: 78.7% had not received lightning-warning messages, and only 12.7% had participated in lightning-safety training. These findings indicate that relatively favorable overall attitudes and protective practices coexisted with specific misconceptions and limited exposure to safety information. The study recommends strengthening community-based thunderstorm risk-reduction initiatives in Boneza and Gihango Sectors through targeted safety education, timely and accessible warning messages, and practical training on lightning protection. Community cooperatives and associations could serve as effective channels for disseminating safety information and promoting preparedness. These measures may help address existing knowledge gaps and strengthen community capacity to respond safely to thunderstorms.
Keywords: Community Knowledge; Attitudes; Risk Reduction Practices; Thunderstorm Preparedness; Rutsiro District, Rwanda.
Title: Community Members’ Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Regarding Thunderstorm Risk Reduction in Rutsiro District Rwanda
Author: Umulisa Florence, Dr. Japheths OGENDI
International Journal of Healthcare Sciences
ISSN 2348-5728 (Online)
Vol. 14, Issue 2, October 2026 - March 2027
Page No: 69-82
Research Publish Journals
Website: www.researchpublish.com
Published Date: 09-November-2026
