title: Efficacy of a food safety comic book on knowledge and self-reported behavior for persons living with AIDS.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Persons living with AIDS are highly vulnerable to foodborne enteric infections with the potential for substantial morbidity and mortality. Educational materials about foodborne enteric infections intended for this immunocompromised population have not been assessed for their efficacy in improving knowledge or encouraging behavior change.
  
  
  RESULTS
  AIDS patients in four healthcare facilities in Chicago, New Orleans, and Puerto Rico were recruited using fliers and word of mouth to healthcare providers. Those who contacted research staff were interviewed to determine food safety knowledge gaps and risky behaviors. A food safety educational comic book that targeted knowledge gaps was created, piloted, and provided to these patients who were instructed to read it and return at least 2 weeks later for a follow-up interview. The overall food safety score was determined by the number of the 26 knowledge/belief/behavior questions from the survey answered correctly. Among 150 patients who participated in both the baseline and follow-up questionnaire, the intervention resulted in a substantial increase in the food safety score (baseline 59%, post-intervention 81%, p<0.001). The intervention produced a significant increase in all the food safety knowledge, belief, and behavior items that comprised the food safety score. Many of these increases were from baseline knowledge below 80 percent to well above 90%. Most (85%) of the patients stated they made a change to their behavior since receiving the educational booklet.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This comic book format intervention to educate persons living with AIDS was highly effective. Future studies should examine to what extent long-term behavioral changes result.
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America.
authors.forename: Mark S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Dworkin
authors.forename: Caryn E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: Weihua
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mayor
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hunter
authors.forename: Edna
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Negron
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fleury
authors.forename: C Lynn
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Besch
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000523:psychology*; D001877:Books; D059022:Food Safety; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D057566:Self Report; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires