Zain Maizun Mohd, Naing Nyi Nyi
Department of Community Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan.
Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health. 2002 Jun;33(2):410-7.
Diseases spread through food still remain a common and persistent problems resulting in appreciable morbidity and occasional mortality. Food handlers play an important role in ensuring food safety throughout the chain of production, processing, storage and preparation. This study is to explore the pattern of sociodemographic distribution and to determine knowledge, attitude and practice of food handlers towards food-borne diseases and food safety. A total of 430 food handlers were randomly selected from Kota Bharu district and interviewed by using structured questionnaire. Distribution of food handlers was Malays (98.8%), females (69.5%), married (81.4%), working in food stalls (64.2%), involved in operational areas (49.3%), having no license (54.2%) and immunized with Ty2 (60.7%). The mean age was 41 +/- 12 years and the mean income was RM 465 +/- 243/month. The educational level was found as no formal education (10.5%), primary school (31.9%), secondary school (57.0%) and diploma/degree holders (0.7%). A significant number of food handlers (57.2%) had no certificate in food handlers training program and 61.9% had undergone routine medical examinations (RME). Almost half (48.4%) had poor knowledge. Multiple logistic regression showed type of premise [Odd ratio (OR) = 4.0, 95% Confidence interval (CI) =1.8-7.5, p = 0.0004], educational level (OR = 4.0, 95% CI = 1.8-7.4, p = 0.0003) and job status of food handlers (OR = 0.5, 95% CI = 0.3-0.8, p = 0.0031) significantly influenced the level score of knowledge. No significant difference of attitude and practice between trained and untrained food handlers. Findings of this preliminary study may help in planning health education intervention programs for food handlers in order to have improvement in knowledge, attitude and practice towards food-borne diseases and food safety. Furthermore, it will in turn reduce national morbidity and mortality of food-borne diseases.
通过食物传播的疾病仍然是常见且持续存在的问题，会导致相当高的发病率以及偶尔出现的死亡情况。食品从业人员在确保整个生产、加工、储存和制备链中的食品安全方面发挥着重要作用。本研究旨在探讨社会人口分布模式，并确定食品从业人员对食源性疾病和食品安全的知识、态度及实践情况。从哥打巴鲁区随机选取了430名食品从业人员，并使用结构化问卷进行访谈。食品从业人员的分布情况为：马来人（98.8%）、女性（69.5%）、已婚（81.4%）、在食品摊工作（64.2%）、从事操作区域工作（49.3%）、无执照（54.2%）以及接种了Ty2疫苗（60.7%）。平均年龄为41±12岁，平均收入为每月465±243令吉。教育水平分布为：未接受正规教育（10.5%）、小学学历（31.9%）、初中学历（57.0%）以及文凭/学位持有者（0.7%）。相当数量的食品从业人员（57.2%）没有食品从业人员培训项目证书，61.9%的人接受过常规体检（RME）。几乎一半（48.4%）的人知识水平较差。多元逻辑回归显示经营场所类型[比值比（OR）=4.0，95%置信区间（CI）=1.8 - 7.5，p = 0.0004]、教育水平（OR = 4.0，95% CI = 1.8 - 7.4，p = 0.0003）以及食品从业人员的工作状态（OR = 0.5，95% CI = 0.3 - 0.8，p = 0.0031）对知识水平得分有显著影响。经过培训和未经培训的食品从业人员在态度和实践方面没有显著差异。这项初步研究的结果可能有助于为食品从业人员规划健康教育干预项目，以便在对食源性疾病和食品安全的知识、态度及实践方面有所改善。此外，这反过来将降低国家食源性疾病的发病率和死亡率。
