Investigating trends in foodborne illnesses in Lubbock and other counties in Texas

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Each year, about 48 million people in the United States are affected by foodborne illnesses, with approximately 3000 of these cases resulting in death. In Texas, the incidence of illnesses like campylobacteriosis and salmonellosis has increased since 2015. In Lubbock County, Texas, however, published data on foodborne illness are scarce. The purpose of this study was to describe trends in foodborne illness in Lubbock and other counties in Texas and to evaluate the potential role of environmental inspector shortages on foodborne illnesses in Lubbock. County-level infectious disease cases were obtained from the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) for the years 2005 and 2016–2018 and were further categorized into food-based and non-food-based. Odds ratios for the association between public health region and cases of foodborne illness over time were estimated using logistic regression. A qualitative framework analysis of environmental health inspector interview responses was conducted. Region 1 had the highest odds of foodborne illness cases among all regions. In Lubbock, an inverse relationship was observed between the number of environmental inspectors and cases of foodborne illness, with an increase in inspectors from six to nine over the period of 2016–2018 associated with a decreasing trend in the cumulative incidence of foodborne illnesses. The increase in the number of inspectors in the city of Lubbock could be a factor in decreasing the incidence of foodborne illnesses, as their work is vital to ensuring adequate food safety practices.