Long-term impact of community-based information, education and communication activities on food hygiene and food safety behaviors in Vietnam: a longitudinal study.
BACKGROUND
Ingestion of contaminated water or food is a major contributor to childhood diarrhea in developing countries. In Vietnam, the use of community-based information, education and communication (IEC) activities could be a sustainable strategy to improve food hygiene and food safety behaviors. This study thus examined the long-term impact of community-based IEC activities on food hygiene and food safety behaviors.


METHODS
In this longitudinal study, we interviewed caregivers of children aged between six months and four years in suburban Hanoi. Baseline data were collected in January 2006 (n = 125). After conducting IEC interventions, we collected a 1(st) set of evaluation data in January 2007 (n = 132). To examine the long-term impact of the interventions, we then collected a 2(nd) set of evaluation data in January 2008 (n = 185). Changes in childhood diarrhea prevalence, IEC coverage, and food hygiene and food safety behaviors were assessed over a two-year period using bivariate and logistic regression analyses. Effective IEC channels were determined through multiple linear regression analysis.


RESULTS
Childhood diarrhea was significantly reduced from 21.6% at baseline to 7.6% at the 1(st) post-intervention evaluation (P = 0.002), and to 5.9% at the 2(nd) evaluation. Among 17 food hygiene and food safety behaviors measured, a total of 11 behaviors were improved or maintained by the 2(nd) evaluation. Handwashing after toilet use was significantly improved at both evaluation points. Overall, 3 food safety behaviors and 7 food hygiene behaviors were found to have significantly improved at the 1(st) and at the 2(nd) evaluations, respectively. Flip chart communication administered by community groups was identified to be the most effective IEC channel for effecting behavior change (P = 0.018).


CONCLUSIONS
Flip chart communication administered by community groups is effective for improving multiple food hygiene and food safety behaviors in sustainable ways, and should be included in water and health promotion programs.
Department of Community and Global Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Kumiko
K
Takanashi
Dao To
DT
Quyen
Nguyen Thi
NT
Le Hoa
Nguyen Cong
NC
Khan
Junko
J
Yasuoka
Masamine
M
Jimba
D000328:Adult; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003142:Communication; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005511:Food Handling / Q000592:standards; D059022:Food Safety; D015438:Health Behavior; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene / Q000193:education*; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014744:Vietnam; D055815:Young Adult