A Study to Assess the Prevalence and Knowledge of Ill Effects of Air Pollution among Merchants at Angadipuram Panchayat with a View to Develop an Information Booklet

Abstract

The present study was conducted to assess the prevalence and knowledge of ill effects of air pollution among merchants at Angadipuram panchayat with a view to develop an information booklet. Assess the prevalence and knowledge of ill effects of air pollution among merchants, find out the association between knowledge of ill effects of air pollution and selected demographic variables.Quantitative approach was adopted for this study. Descriptive survey design was applied to 100 samples of merchants from Angadipuram Panchayat was selected by using convenient sampling techniques. Tools used for data collection was structured knowledge questionnaire and checklist. An information booklet was provided to the samples after completing the test. Data were analyzed by using descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings of the study were among 100 samples, 78% of samples have average knowledge, 6% had good knowledge, and 16% have poor knowledge on ill effects of air pollution. There was no association between knowledge scores of merchants at Angadipuram panchayat with selected demographic variables such as age, gender, type of shop, year of experience and distance of shop from road. Prevalence rate of ill effects of air pollution among 79% of merchants have mild ill effects of air pollution, 18% have moderate level and only 3% have severe ill effects of air pollution.