Knowledge and Practice of Preventive Measures Against Communicable Diseases among Traders in Anambra State, Nigeria

Abstract

Communicable diseases remain a major public health concern in Nigeria, especially among market traders who face daily exposure to infection risks. This study assessed the knowledge and practice of preventive measures against communicable diseases among traders in Anambra State, Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 285 traders selected using a multistage sampling technique. Data were collected using a pre-tested, interviewer-administered, and validated questionnaire. Analysis was performed using IBM-SPSS version 27, employing descriptive statistics and chi-square tests at a 5% significance level. The respondents were predominantly between 25–44 years (mean age: 38±12 years), with males constituting 61.1%. Most were Christians (83.2%), married (47.7%), and educated up to the secondary level (39.3%). Awareness of communicable diseases was high (94.0%), with television (73.9%), friends (61.0%), and radio (60.7%) as major information sources. Although 91.3% knew about proper handwashing and 84.1% about environmental sanitation, only 7.4% demonstrated good knowledge. However, 88.8% practiced at least one preventive measure especially handwashing (90.5%) and body hygiene (71.5%). Poor practice was attributed to disbelief in preventive measures (61.1%) and ignorance (58.3%). Factors such as negligence (OR=0.380, p=0.038) and laziness (OR=0.308, p=0.025) significantly affected preventive practices. Marital status was significantly associated with practice levels (p=0.05), and males attended more health talks than females (p=0.004). Despite high awareness, there was a gap between knowledge and actual preventive practices, influenced by negligence, laziness, and misconceptions. Continuous health education, targeted seminars, and community-based interventions are recommended to improve compliance with preventive measures among traders.