Relationships between Tennessee homemakers's employment status, the number and types of contacts made with extension agents and their use of clothing consumer practices

The major purpose of this study was to identify variables associated with the adoption of recommended clothing consumer practices by Tennessee homemakers. Independent variables studied in relation to practice use included homemakers employment status, Extension clothing meetings attended, Extension publications received, visits made to the Extension office and telephone calls made to the Extension agent over a 12-month period. Data were obtained in 1982 through personal interviews by county Extension agents with 2,091 randomly selected homemakers in Tennessee. The Chi-Square test was used to determine the strength of the relationships between independent and dependent variables. The .05 level of probability was accepted as being statistically significant. Data were analyzed using the University of Tennessee Computing Center facilities. Major findings included the following: 1. A higher percentage of unemployed homemakers than employed homemakers were using many of the recommended clothing consumer practices 2. Homemakers that attended clothing meetings were using clothing consumer practices at a higher percentage than those homemakers that attended no meetings. 3. As the number of Extension clothing publications received increased, percentage of homemakers using recommended clothing consumer practices also increased. 4. Percentage of homemakers using recommended clothing consumer practices increased as their visits to the Extension office increased. 5. Percentage of homemakers using recommended clothing consumer practices increased as their telephone calls to the Extension agent increased. Implications and recommendations also were included in the study.