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Impact of Handwashing Station Availability on Handwashing Practices among Market Traders in Nigeria

Abstract

Hand hygiene is an important public health measure for preventing the transmission of infectious diseases, particularly in busy market environments where traders interact with large numbers of customers and frequently handle food, money, goods, waste, and other potentially contaminated materials. Market traders in Nigeria may face difficulties maintaining appropriate handwashing practices because of inadequate access to functional handwashing stations, limited availability of water and soap, overcrowded market environments, poor sanitation infrastructure, and irregular maintenance of hygiene facilities. Limited access to handwashing facilities may increase the likelihood of poor hand hygiene and contribute to the transmission of communicable diseases and foodborne infections. Improving the availability and functionality of handwashing stations may therefore support safer hygiene practices among market traders. Against this background, this study investigates the impact of handwashing station availability on handwashing practices among market traders in Nigeria. The study will be anchored on the Health Belief Model, Social Ecological Model, and Theory of Planned Behavior. The Health Belief Model explains how traders' perceptions of their susceptibility to infectious diseases, perceived severity of illness, perceived benefits of handwashing, perceived barriers, self-efficacy, and cues to action may influence their handwashing practices. The Social Ecological Model emphasizes the influence of individual, interpersonal, market, community, environmental, and infrastructural factors on hand hygiene behaviour. The Theory of Planned Behavior explains how traders' attitudes toward handwashing, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, and behavioural intentions may influence the adoption of appropriate hand hygiene practices. Collectively, these theoretical perspectives provide a suitable framework for explaining how handwashing station availability may influence handwashing practices among market traders in Nigeria. The study will adopt a quantitative analytical cross-sectional or quasi-experimental 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 market sections, and eligible traders. Handwashing station availability will be assessed using indicators such as presence of handwashing stations, number of stations relative to traders, accessibility and distance from trading points, availability of running or stored water, availability of soap or appropriate cleansing agents, functionality, cleanliness, privacy where required, ease of access during working hours, maintenance, and availability of handwashing stations at critical locations such as food-selling areas and toilet facilities. Handwashing practices will be assessed using indicators such as frequency of handwashing, handwashing at critical times, use of soap, appropriate handwashing technique and duration, handwashing after toilet use, before food preparation or handling, after handling waste, after contact with potentially contaminated materials, and availability or use of personal hand hygiene materials. Data will be collected using structured questionnaires, standardized hand hygiene assessment tools, direct observation checklists, environmental assessment checklists, and market sanitation records where available. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize traders' demographic and occupational characteristics, market conditions, access to water and sanitation facilities, availability of handwashing stations, and handwashing practices. Inferential statistical techniques, including chi-square tests, t-tests, correlation analysis, and logistic or multiple regression analysis where appropriate, will be used to determine the impact of handwashing station availability on handwashing practices. Where a quasi-experimental design is adopted, handwashing practices before and after the installation or improvement of handwashing stations may be compared with those of a comparison market to determine changes associated with improved facility availability. Diagnostic tests will also be conducted to assess the reliability, validity, and robustness of the findings. The study is expected to find that handwashing station availability has a significant positive impact on handwashing practices among market traders in Nigeria. Traders with convenient access to functional handwashing stations equipped with water and soap are expected to demonstrate better handwashing practices than traders with limited or inadequate access to such facilities. Increased availability may reduce the physical and practical barriers to hand hygiene and encourage traders to wash their hands at critical times during the working day. Strategically located stations may be particularly useful for traders who handle food, money, waste, and other materials that may increase the need for hand hygiene. However, availability of stations alone may not guarantee appropriate handwashing if water supply is unreliable, soap is unavailable, facilities are poorly maintained, traders lack awareness, or market conditions discourage their use. The study therefore expects adequate, accessible, functional, well-maintained, and properly supplied handwashing stations, combined with hygiene education and supportive market policies, to contribute significantly to improved handwashing practices among market traders in Nigeria. The study is expected to contribute to the literature on hand hygiene, handwashing facilities, market sanitation, environmental health, infectious disease prevention, food hygiene, water sanitation and hygiene, health promotion, community health, and public health in Nigeria. The findings will provide useful information to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Federal Ministry of Environment, state ministries of health, local government authorities, market management organizations, environmental health officers, trader associations, water and sanitation agencies, development partners, and policymakers regarding strategies for improving hand hygiene in market environments. The study will also provide evidence-based recommendations for increasing the availability of functional handwashing stations, improving reliable access to water and soap, establishing regular maintenance systems, strategically locating facilities within markets, strengthening hand hygiene education, and developing sustainable market sanitation interventions that promote appropriate handwashing practices among traders across Nigeria.

Keywords: Handwashing station availability, handwashing practices, market traders, hand hygiene, market sanitation, WASH, infectious disease prevention, environmental health, food hygiene, health promotion, Nigeria, public health.