Journal of Public Health and Diseases

This study investigated the public health risks associated with street-vended foods at Kofar Ruwa Motor Park and Unguwa Uku Motor Park in Kano. A mixed-methods design was employed, combining structured observational assessments of 100 street food vendors with questionnaire surveys administered to 365 consumers. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics (frequencies, means, and standard deviations) and inferential tests, including t-tests, chi-square tests, ANOVAs, and Pearson correlations, in SPSS version 25.0. The findings revealed generally poor hygiene practices among vendors (aggregate mean = 1.87), reflecting inadequate personal cleanliness and unsanitary environmental conditions. Consumers reported a moderate-to-high frequency of foodborne illness symptoms (aggregate mean = 3.16), with diarrhoea (mean = 3.76) and stomach pain (mean = 3.63) being the most frequently experienced. Notably, consumers demonstrated high awareness of food safety hazards (aggregate mean = 4.23) and strong risk perception (aggregate mean = 3.81). However, their actual preventive practices were only moderate (aggregate mean = 3.44). Although awareness was positively and significantly correlated with safety behaviour (r = .481, p < .05), the moderate strength of this association indicates a persistent awareness behaviour gap. The results suggest that socioeconomic considerations, particularly affordability and convenience, limit consumers’ ability to translate knowledge into consistent protective actions. The study concludes that street-vended foods in the selected motor parks pose a continuing public health concern and recommends strengthened vendor training, improved sanitary infrastructure, and targeted interventions to bridge the gap between awareness and practice.