title: Food safety knowledge, practices and beliefs of primary food preparers in families with young children. A mixed methods study.
abstract: Food preparers in families with young children are responsible for safe food preparation and handling to prevent foodborne illness. To explore the food safety perceptions, beliefs, and practices of primary food preparers in families with children 10 years of age and younger, a mixed methods convergent parallel design and constructs of the Health Belief Model were used. A random sampling of 72 primary food handlers (36.2±8.6 years of age, 88% female) within young families in urban and rural areas of two Midwestern states completed a knowledge survey and participated in ten focus groups. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS. Transcribed interviews were analyzed for codes and common themes. Forty-four percent scored less than the average knowledge score of 73%. Participants believe children are susceptible to foodborne illness but perceive its severity to be low with gastrointestinal discomfort as the primary outcome. Using safe food handling practices and avoiding inconveniences were benefits of preventing foodborne illness. Childcare duties, time and knowledge were barriers to practicing food safety. Confidence in preventing foodborne illness was high, especially when personal control over food handling is present. The low knowledge scores and reported practices revealed a false sense of confidence despite parental concern to protect their child from harm. Food safety messages that emphasize the susceptibility and severity of foodborne illness in children are needed to reach this audience for adoption of safe food handling practices.
authors.affiliation: University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583-0806, United States. Electronic address: rutabegah@aol.com.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Meysenburg
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences, 119 LEV, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583-0806, United States. Electronic address: jalbrecht1@unl.edu.
authors.forename: Julie A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Albrecht
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, 1104 Human Nutritional Sciences Building, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011-1120, United States. Electronic address: litch@iastate.edu.
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Litchfield
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences, 316 LEV, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583-0806, United States. Electronic address: pgooder@windstream.net.
authors.forename: Paula K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Ritter-Gooder
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003469:Culture; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005511:Food Handling; D059022:Food Safety; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D015146:Midwestern United States; D010290:Parents; D010465:Perception
keywords: Food handling practices; Food safety; Foodborne illness; Health Belief Model; Mixed methods