Taxi and Bus Drivers’ Knowledge of Health Risks and Use of Services Provided by Mobile Traditional Nail Cutters and Barbers in Akinyele Local Government Area, Oyo State

Abstract

Background: Traditional Mobile nail cutters and barbers constitute a subgroup of artisan population with the potential of exposing their clients to the risk of several health hazards, including infectious blood-borne communicable diseases and skin conditions because of inadvertent exposure to blood and body fluids during their practice. Patronizing Traditional Mobile nail cutters and Barbers (MTNB) poses risks of contracting infectious diseases by using and sharing unsterilized sharp objects. The main objective of this study is to access Knowledge of associated health-risks involved in the Use of Services Provided by Mobile Traditional manicure and Barbers among by commercial drivers in Akinyele Local Government Area, Oyo State. Methodology: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in the LGA. A mixed method was used for data collection. Trained interviewers conducted face-to-face interviews with 309 randomly (by blotting) selected taxi and bus drivers from an estimated total number of 492. Eight barbing sessions were observed using a checklist adopted from the previous studies and eight in-depth interviews were conducted with Mobile Traditional Nail Cutters and Barbers. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS while qualitative data were analyzed thematically Results: The mean age was 43.2 ± 11.4 years. Most drivers (64%) had low knowledge, scoring below 7.5 out of 15 on a knowledge scale, and were unaware of the risk of contracting infectious diseases from unsterilized barbing and nail-cutting equipment. Almost all drivers (99%) had used Mobile Traditional Nail Cutters and Barbers in the six months preceding the survey. In-depth interviews revealed that these service providers had low knowledge of infection risks, and observations showed they reused instruments repeatedly without proper decontamination between clients. Conclusion: Health education methods like training, supportive oversight, and peer teaching are recommended to ensure adequate knowledge for drivers and encourage Mobile Traditional Nail Cutters and Barbers to adopt effective infection control measures.