Abstract
BackgroundFood safety manual was developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) to train professionals to reduce the burden of foodborne diseases as a global strategy. The present pioneering research aimed to explore the effectiveness of an intervention based on the manual of five keys to safer food by WHO in enhancing the knowledge, attitude and behavior of Iranian Female Community Health Volunteers (FCHVs).MethodsIn the present quasi-experimental research, FCHVs (n = 125) were selected and assigned to two groups, an intervention and a control. A modified version of the questionnaire based on WHO manual was used to measure knowledge, attitude and behavior of the sample. The questionnaire was first completed at the outset of the study (pre-test) and then once again in 2 months of the intervention (post-test). Face and content validity of the questionnaire was tested and confirmed. Cronbach’s alpha was used to test the reliability of the questionnaire along with the test-retest method of testing reliability. The data entered SPSS16 for statistical analysis. To this aim, Chi-squared test, dependent and independent samples T-test, ANOVA and ANCOVA were run. Partial population attributable risks were calculated and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were estimated using a bootstrap method.ResultsThe two groups showed no statistically significant difference in the pretest (p > .05). In the post-test, the mean scores for all variables was higher in the intervention group than the control, and this difference between the two research groups was statistically significant (p < .001). When the volunteers were adjusted for age and experience in healthcare centers, the mean scores were significantly higher in the intervention group than the control (p < .001).ConclusionIt was revealed in the present study that the educational intervention based on five keys to food safety manual by WHO managed to improve participants’ knowledge, attitude and behavior. Translation of the target guideline in future can be a great help to researchers in prospective research.Trial RegistrationRetrospectively registered: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials IRCT20160822029485N4, at 2020-03-16.
Highlights
Food safety manual was developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) to train professionals to reduce the burden of foodborne diseases as a global strategy
The results revealed that the intervention was successful in improving participants’ knowledge, attitude and behavior significantly
The use of self-reports and the large number of items within the questionnaire could cause fatigue and lower precision in answers. It was revealed in the present study that the educational intervention based on five keys to food safety manual by WHO managed to improve participants’ knowledge, attitude and behavior
Summary
Food safety manual was developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) to train professionals to reduce the burden of foodborne diseases as a global strategy. The significance of maintaining human health and preventing diseases is known to all. Ghaffari et al BMC Public Health (2020) 20:401 from production to consumption. It can promote or damage individual and social health [3]. Despite quite many campaigns on food safety and educational efforts along with decades of exploratory microbiology, food-related diseases are the main source of human diseases [5]. The majority of outbreaks and cases of diseases have been transmitted from contaminated food to human. Health authorities’ behaviors and methods have increased the rate of these diseases and can be related to particular organisms [7]. Women produce between 60 and 80% of food materials in many of the developing countries and account for half of food products at a global scale [9]
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