title: Evaluation of the knowledge level of health violations in food production, distribution, sales centers and public places and their authorities investigating among the women of Bushehr city.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Women and mothers are the most important educational audience to convey health teachings. This study was aimed to evaluate the knowledge level of different types of health violations of food production, distribution, sale centers and public places; and authorities investigating the violations among women referring to health care centers in Bushehr.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this descriptive-analytical study, which was done cross-sectionally, 600 women who were referred to health care centers affiliated to the Bushehr University of Medical Sciences was selected by convenience sampling. Two-part questionnaire was used to collect data: demographic information and a researcher-designed knowledge survey questionnaire consisted of 25 questions with Cronbach's alpha = 0.7. Data were analyzed with the software SPSS version 13; using Chi-square test and Phi and Cramer test. P ≤ 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The findings showed that 56.9% and 26.5% of women had good and moderate knowledge levels regarding health violations, while the general knowledge level of authorities investigating health violations were at the moderate level among 57.3% and at the good level among 15.3% of women. Overall, there was a significant relationship between education level and the women's knowledge level of health violations (P < 0.0001). The relationship between the women's education level and authorities investigating health violations was not significant (P = 0.073).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Applying interventional methods of education in health violations to the women by health centers can elevate the level of health knowledge among them.
authors: Department of Educational Health, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.
authors: Hamidreza
authors: H
authors: Rassafiani
authors: Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.
authors: Mahtab
authors: M
authors: Ghazanfari
authors: Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.
authors: Masoumeh
authors: M
authors: Ravanipour
authors: Department of Community Medicine, School of Medicine, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.
authors: Niloofar
authors: N
authors: Motamed
authors: The Persian Gulf Tropical Medicine Research Center, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.
authors: Maryam
authors: M
authors: Ravanipour
authors: Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.
authors: Dariush Ranjbar
authors: DR
authors: Vakilabadi
authors: Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.
authors: Sedigheh
authors: S
authors: Zare
keywords: Environmental health; food contamination; health violations; knowledge; women