Kendall Patricia, Scharff Robert, Baker Susan, LeJeune Jeffrey, Sofos John, Medeiros Lydia
Food Science and Human Nutrition, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523-1571, USA.
Department of Human Sciences, The Ohio State University, 1787 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.
Matern Child Health J. 2017 Aug;21(8):1686-1698. doi: 10.1007/s10995-017-2291-2.
Objective This study compared knowledge and food-handling behavior after pathogen-specific (experimental treatment) versus basic food safety instruction (active control) presented during nutrition education classes for low-income English- and Spanish-language pregnant women. Methods Subjects (n = 550) were randomly assigned to treatment groups in two different locations in the United States. Food safety instruction was part of an 8-lesson curriculum. Food safety knowledge and behavior were measured pre/post intervention. Descriptive data were analyzed by Chi-Square or ANOVA; changes after intervention were analyzed by regression analysis. Results Knowledge improved after intervention in the pathogen-specific treatment group compared to active control, especially among Spanish-language women. Behavior change after intervention for the pathogen-specific treatment group improved for thermometer usage, refrigeration and consumption of foods at high risk for safety; however, all other improvements in behavior were accounted for by intervention regardless of treatment group. As expected, higher pre-instruction behavioral competency limited potential gain in behavior post-instruction due to a ceiling effect. This effect was more dominant among English-language women. Improvements were also linked to formal education completed, a partner at home, and other children in the home. Conclusions for Practice This study demonstrated that pathogen-specific food safety instruction leads to enhance knowledge and food handling behaviors that may improve the public health of pregnant women and their unborn children, especially among Spanish-language women. More importantly, food safety instruction, even at the most basic level, benefited pregnant women's food safety knowledge and food-handling behavior after intervention.
目的 本研究比较了针对低收入英语和西班牙语孕妇的营养教育课程中，特定病原体（实验性治疗）与基本食品安全指导（积极对照）之后的知识和食品处理行为。方法 受试者（n = 550）被随机分配到美国两个不同地点的治疗组。食品安全指导是一个8节课课程的一部分。在干预前后测量食品安全知识和行为。描述性数据通过卡方检验或方差分析进行分析；干预后的变化通过回归分析进行分析。结果 与积极对照相比，特定病原体治疗组在干预后知识有所提高，尤其是在说西班牙语的女性中。特定病原体治疗组干预后的行为变化在温度计使用、冷藏和食用高安全风险食品方面有所改善；然而，行为的所有其他改善都归因于干预，无论治疗组如何。正如预期的那样，由于天花板效应，较高的指导前行为能力限制了指导后行为的潜在收益。这种效应在说英语的女性中更为明显。改善还与完成的正规教育、家中有伴侣以及家中有其他孩子有关。实践结论 本研究表明，特定病原体的食品安全指导可提高知识和食品处理行为，这可能改善孕妇及其未出生子女的公共健康，尤其是在说西班牙语的女性中。更重要的是，食品安全指导，即使是最基本的水平，在干预后也有利于孕妇的食品安全知识和食品处理行为。
