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Effect of Workplace First-Aid Training on First-Aid Skills among Market Traders in Nigeria

Abstract

Marketplaces are important commercial and social environments in Nigeria where traders may be exposed to injuries, burns, falls, cuts, minor medical emergencies, and other workplace-related incidents. Market traders often work in environments where access to immediate professional emergency medical care may be limited, making basic first-aid knowledge and skills potentially valuable for responding to injuries before professional assistance becomes available. However, many market traders may have limited access to formal first-aid training and may rely on traditional remedies, self-treatment, or assistance from untrained individuals when emergencies occur. Inadequate knowledge of bleeding control, burn management, wound care, emergency communication, and appropriate referral may increase the risk of complications following injuries. Workplace first-aid training provides an opportunity to improve traders' knowledge, confidence, and practical ability to respond appropriately to common workplace emergencies. Against this background, this study investigates the effect of workplace first-aid training on first-aid skills among market traders in Nigeria. The study will be anchored on Social Cognitive Theory, the Health Belief Model, and Protection Motivation Theory. Social Cognitive Theory explains how demonstrations, observational learning, supervised practice, feedback, self-efficacy, and reinforcement may influence traders' acquisition and application of first-aid skills. The Health Belief Model explains how traders' perceptions of workplace injury risks, perceived severity of emergencies, perceived benefits of providing appropriate first aid, perceived barriers, self-efficacy, and cues to action may influence their emergency-response behaviour. Protection Motivation Theory emphasizes perceived threat, response efficacy, response costs, coping ability, and motivation to adopt protective responses during workplace emergencies. Collectively, these theoretical perspectives provide a suitable framework for explaining how workplace first-aid training may influence first-aid skills among market traders in Nigeria. The study will adopt a quantitative quasi-experimental or analytical cross-sectional research design. The study population will comprise adult market traders aged 18 years and above operating in selected markets across Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique will be used to select geopolitical zones, states, local government areas, markets, trader associations or sections, and eligible market traders. Workplace first-aid training will be assessed using indicators such as exposure to training sessions, frequency and duration of training, theoretical instruction, practical demonstrations, hands-on skills practice, emergency scene assessment, personal safety, bleeding control, basic wound care, burn first aid, management of minor injuries, recognition of serious emergencies, emergency communication, appropriate referral, first-aid equipment use, and refresher training. First-aid skills will be assessed using indicators such as ability to assess an emergency scene, protect oneself and the injured person, control external bleeding, provide appropriate initial care for wounds and burns, respond appropriately to minor injuries, recognize emergencies requiring professional medical attention, summon emergency assistance, and demonstrate appropriate referral practices. Data will be collected using structured questionnaires, standardized first-aid knowledge assessment tools, practical skills checklists, simulated workplace-emergency scenarios, direct observation, training records where available, and pre-test and post-test practical assessments where a quasi-experimental intervention is adopted. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize traders' demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, occupational activities, previous first-aid experience, exposure to workplace injuries, training history, and first-aid skill levels. Inferential statistical techniques, including chi-square tests, paired and independent t-tests, correlation analysis, and logistic or multiple regression analysis where appropriate, will be used to determine the effect of workplace first-aid training on first-aid skills. Where a quasi-experimental design is adopted, first-aid skill scores before and after the training intervention may be compared with those of a comparison group to determine changes associated with the intervention. Diagnostic tests will also be conducted to assess the reliability, validity, and robustness of the findings. The study is expected to find that workplace first-aid training has a significant positive effect on first-aid skills among market traders in Nigeria. Traders exposed to structured, practical, competency-based, and regularly reinforced first-aid training are expected to demonstrate better practical first-aid skills than traders without comparable training. Training may improve traders' ability to assess emergency situations, control bleeding, provide appropriate initial care for burns and wounds, recognize serious injuries, summon emergency assistance, and refer injured persons appropriately. Practical demonstrations, role-playing, simulated market emergencies, and supervised skills practice may increase traders' confidence and reduce hesitation when responding to workplace injuries. Refresher training may further improve retention of essential first-aid skills. However, limited availability of first-aid equipment, overcrowded market environments, inadequate emergency medical services, limited training resources, financial constraints, low participation in training programmes, and reliance on traditional or informal treatment practices may reduce the effectiveness of training alone. The study therefore expects accessible, practical, market-specific, competency-based, and sustained workplace first-aid training to contribute significantly to improved first-aid skills among market traders in Nigeria. The study is expected to contribute to the literature on workplace first aid, occupational health and safety, market-trader health, injury prevention, emergency preparedness, health education, community emergency response, and public health in Nigeria. The findings will provide useful information to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, state ministries of health and labour, local government authorities, market management organizations, trader associations, occupational health practitioners, emergency medical services, healthcare professionals, community health workers, development partners, and policymakers regarding strategies for strengthening first-aid capacity in informal work environments. The study will also provide evidence-based recommendations for integrating first-aid training into market-trader occupational health programmes, improving access to first-aid kits and emergency equipment, providing regular refresher training, strengthening emergency referral and communication systems, promoting workplace injury prevention, and developing sustainable market-based occupational health and safety interventions across Nigeria.

Keywords: Workplace first-aid training, first-aid skills, market traders, occupational health and safety, workplace injuries, emergency response, injury prevention, health education, first aid, Nigeria, public health.