Page 82 - IJPS-7-2

International Journal of
Population Studies Traders’ KAP toward solid waste disposal in Nigeria

Table 4. Multivariable analysis of sociodemographic characteristics and KAP toward solid waste management among respondents
Sociodemographic characteristics Knowledge level Attitude level Practice level
AOR 95% CI P AOR 95% CI p AOR 95% CI P
Gender
Male 1 - - 1 - - 1 - -
Female 1.31 0.88 – 1.93 0.183 0.98 0.68 – 1.42 0.982 1.608 0.95 – 2.73 0.080
Age (years) 1.02 0.99 – 1.05 0.207 1.02 0.99 – 1.04 0.085 1.08 1.04 – 1.17 < 0.001**
Educational attainment
No formal education 1 - - 1 - - 1 - -
Primary 1.07 1.02 – 2.11 0.045* 1.06 1.03 – 1.88 0.017* 1.49 1.29 – 2.76 0.022*
Secondary 1.08 0.57 – 2.14 0.857 1.04 0.55 – 1.99 0.896 0.76 0.33 – 1.77 0.524
Tertiary 1.63 0.79 – 3.33 0.183 1.20 0.63 – 2.29 0.581 0.83 0.35 – 2.00 0.683
Marital status
Single 1 - - 1 - - 1 - -
Married 0.47 0.29 – 0.76 0.002* 0.99 0.63 – 1.57 0.978 0.59 0.31 – 1.12 0.108
Widowed 0.50 0.22 – 1.12 0.096 0.91 0.42 – 1.98 0.803 1.19 1.05 – 1.68 0.011*
Divorced/separated 0.18 0.06 – 0.60 0.005* 1.16 0.42 – 3.22 0.781 0.33 0.08 – 1.39 0.131
Religion
Christianity 1 - - 1 - - 1 - -
Islamic 0.52 0.27 – 0.99 0.048* 0.87 0.46 – 1.66 0.678 0.66 0.27 – 1.62 0.362
Traditional 0.30 0.15 – 0.61 0.001* 0.92 0.49 – 1.73 0.788 0.34 0.13 – 0.91 0.031*
*P < 0.05, **P < 0.01. CI: Confidence interval, AOR: Adjusted odds ratio, P: Probability value

knowledge of solid waste disposal has proven to improve power by waste agencies to engage in the right practice;
individuals’ overall knowledge about the population health and lack of motivation driven by poor incentives for waste
and has also helped to reduce their propensity to indulge disposal companies to discharge the duties judiciously.
in poor waste disposal (Orhorhoro & Oghoghorie, 2019). This present study did not find any associations between
Good overall knowledge found in this study, however, did secondary or tertiary education and better knowledge of
not translate to the respondents’ attitude and practice as solid waste disposal. This contrasts a study by Laor et al.
the study found poor attitude and extremely poor practices (2018) which found higher educational attainment to be
toward solid waste disposal among the respondents. statistically significantly associated with good knowledge
This finding is consistent with cross-sectional studies by of solid waste disposal among traders. Another cross-
Abejegah et al. (2013) and Oladejo & Amosu (2013) which sectional study in Jos, Nigeria, by Jatau (2013) found a
found that despite the high knowledge of market traders higher level of education to be associated with traders’
and residents regarding solid waste disposal in Benin City increased knowledge level of solid waste disposal. This
and Lagos, Nigeria, the practice of indiscriminate dumping association can be attributed to a different level of exposure
of wastes was high (60%). Another cross-sectional study achieved on the academic ladder whereby individuals are
in North Thailand by Laor et al. (2018) found that despite exposed to different levels of teachings and awareness
the market traders’ high overall level of knowledge, their leading them to develop a better overall understanding of
practices toward proper solid waste disposal were nearly hygiene. The improvement in knowledge of market traders
below average. This may be a portrayal of the lack of toward solid waste disposal through formal education
policies that guide the disposal of waste in public places. In or other means is necessary to improve the perceptions
essence, where policies against indiscriminate dumping of of traders toward bearing responsibility for the hygienic
solid wastes do not exist or are sparsely enforced, market situation of their environments (Chengula et al., 2015).
users, and indeed traders who know the proper way of The reasons for this contrasting finding are not clear and
discarding wastes will rather dump them indiscriminately require further investigation. However, respondents who
for convenience’s sake since no penalties accrue for their had attained primary education had better knowledge
actions. Furthermore, there may be issues of lack of facilities than those with non-formal education. In addition, being
for waste separation and prompt collection; lack of will married was associated with poorer knowledge. This

Volume 7 Issue 2 (2021) 76 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.v7i2.307