Assessment of the food safety knowledge, attitudes and handling practices among food handlers in hospital facilities of Mufulira district, Zambia.

To prevent the spread of harmful bacteria, individuals who handle food must adhere to strict guidelines, including maintaining proper hygiene and following established food handling practices, particularly when preparing large quantities of food. Food handlers in the hospitals of Mufulira District play a vital role in preventing foodborne illnesses. The objective of this research was to assess the levels of knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to food safety among food handlers in hospital facilities. The study focused on staff responsible for handling food within the hospitals. A random sampling technique was employed to choose the target group. A sample of 100 individuals was selected using systematic random sampling, with 35 participants from Hospital X, 20 from Hospital Y, and 45 from Hospital Z. Data on knowledge, attitudes, and practices were collected through a structured questionnaire. Additionally, Key informants were interviewed using guided questions to complement the quantitative data. Statistical analyses were performed using descriptive statistics, with one-way ANOVA employed to compare mean scores for knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP). A logistic regression model was utilized to test for associations between independent variables. The findings showed that food handlers at Hospitals X and Z had inadequate knowledge (45.7% and 42.2%, respectively) and poor practices (48.6% and 42.2%, respectively) despite demonstrating positive attitudes (94.0% and 93.0%, respectively). At Hospital Y, food handlers exhibited fair knowledge (55.0%), positive attitudes (95.0%), and poor practices (50%). Overall, the hospitals showed inadequate knowledge (mean score: 46.0%), poor practices (mean score: 45.0%), and positive attitudes (mean score: 94.0%). Using established cut-off points (poor ≤ 53%, fair 54%-79%, good ≥ 80%), knowledge and practices were rated low, while attitudes remained positive. These results indicate potential risk of foodborne illnesses in hospitals, driven by inadequate food safety knowledge and poor handling practices. Keywords: Food safety, Food handler, Knowledge, Attitude, Hospital.

Grantor dc:publisher

The University of Zambia

Year dc:date.issued

2024

Author dc:creator

• Nyendwa, Charles

Language dc:language.iso

en

Repository record dc:identifier.uri

https://dspace.unza.zm/handle/123456789/9153

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.unza.zm:123456789/9153