Page 83 - IJPS-7-2

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

contrasts with findings by Al-Khatib et al. (2009) which by Al-Khatib et al. (2009) who found that compared to
suggested that married persons had better knowledge singles, widowed respondents were more likely to get
of solid waste disposal than other marital groups. The involved in environmental sanitation. This finding may
association between being married and knowledge level be attributed to the fact that widowed respondents who
found in this study requires further scientific investigation. are more commonly at advanced ages are expected to be
Furthermore, being divorced or separated was significantly at a higher level of maturity, thus reducing their tendency
associated with poor knowledge of solid waste disposal to be involved in indiscriminate waste disposal. Finally,
among the study respondents. This is consistent with a traditionalists in this present study were more likely to
study Al-Khatib et al. (2009) which found that divorcees have poor practices. Poor practices are connected to their
were more likely to have poorer knowledge of solid waste poor knowledge as found in this present study. No previous
management. Furthermore, Muslims and traditionalists studies have been found to contrast or support this finding.
expressed poorer knowledge of solid waste disposal in the
study area. This disagrees with research by Al-Khatib et al. 4.1. Limitations
(2009) who found that Muslims possessed high overall This was a cross-sectional study which is non-temporal
knowledge of solid waste disposal because their religion nature, and causality cannot be inferred. Furthermore,
places a strong emphasis on neatness to the extent that other factors such as market location and waste bin
this is done as an act of worship. The association found availability were not analyzed in this study, giving room
between Islamic religion and knowledge of solid waste for bias due to confounding.
disposal in this present study is, however, unclear, likewise
the association with traditionalism. 4.2. Implications for intervention and future research
This study identified a significant correlation between The implications of these findings highlight and set the pace
traders’ acceptable attitude toward solid waste disposal and for evidence-based studies that outline the determinants
educational level. In essence, higher educational attainment of the complex phenomenon of solid waste disposal and
was associated with higher attitude scores. This is consistent the need to mitigate health risks for the wider population
with two observational studies which found a positive exposed to disease outbreaks in the ever-busy resource-
correlation between the attitude of individuals toward poor settings. The study shows the interaction between
solid waste management and educational attainment (Iwu KAP and demographic factors. Other factors, in addition
et al., 2016; Laor et al., 2018). Higher education creates to demographic characteristics, need to be considered in
better exposure for individuals, hence this finding. Age future research to complement this present study. This
was found to influence the good practice of solid waste study should also enlighten all actors in the socioecological
management in the study area. In essence, as age increased, niche about the progress level of the SDG-11 in our
respondents were more likely to engage in good practice markets so as to develop sustainable means of solving the
of solid waste disposal. This agrees with an observational problem of indiscriminate waste disposal in and around
study Agbefe et al. (2019) that found good waste disposal the markets, which are major locations for several types of
practices to be strongly associated with increasing age. exchanges and interactions.
This agrees with another study by Laor et al. (2018). This
could be attributed to maturity and social stability with 5. Conclusion
increasing age which may have reduced their tendency to Calabar has experienced rapid urbanization over the past
litter. The younger populations are, in turn, more likely to decades and this situation has increased the population in
litter. We also found that traders who had attained primary markets, the generation of solid wastes, and changed the
education were more likely than those with no formal characteristics of these solid wastes around the markets.
education to engage in good practice toward solid waste This study highlights the KAP of market traders toward
disposal, whereas those who had attained secondary or solid waste management in Calabar Municipality, Nigeria.
tertiary education had no difference in practice than those The findings suggest that the low attitude level and very
with no formal education. The reasons for this finding are poor practices toward solid waste management are
unclear, which deserve more research. related to the sociodemographic characteristics of market
Our study found no significant relationship between traders. These create a looming outbreak of diseases and
higher levels of education and practices of solid waste may cause an increase in the morbidity and mortality
disposal, hence a need for further research on this burden on the economy of Cross River State and Nigeria
subject. In addition, those who were widowed were more as a whole. Regularly planned health education should
likely than those who were single to engage in good be presented to the traders where the benefits of proper
practice in this study. This is consistent with findings solid waste disposal will be emphasized. There is also a

Volume 7 Issue 2 (2021) 77 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.v7i2.307