Use of the Health Belief Model to Examine Older Adults' Food-Handling Behaviors

Abstract

Objective To measure the association among Health Belief Model (HBM) variables and safe food-handling behaviors among older adults. Design A mail survey using Dillman's Total Design Method. Setting In October 1999, a survey was sent to volunteers from a preexisting cohort of noninstitutionalized older adults living throughout Nevada. Data collection continued through January 2000. Participants With a 56% response rate, the sample (n = 266) was composed mainly of women (73%) and individuals from urban counties (74%). The mean age was 68.09 years (SD = 8.27). Except for gender, sample characteristics were similar to those of the preexisting cohort. Variables Measured Perceived threat of foodborne illness (ie, perceived severity and perceived susceptibility), cues to action (ie, media cues and educational cues), and safe food-handling behaviors (ie, sanitation and cross-contamination). Analysis Rank order correlation coefficients were computed to measure the association among variables. Significance was set at P < .05. Results Cues to action were positively related to perceived threat of foodborne illness and safe food-handling behaviors. Perceived severity of foodborne illness was positively related to one dimension of safe food-handling behaviors (ie, sanitation). Conclusions and Implications The HBM is a useful framework for examining food-handling behaviors among older adults.