ZERO2FIVE Food Industry Centre, Food & Drink Research Unit, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Western Avenue, Llandaff, Cardiff, Wales CF5 2YB (ORCID: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1523-1480 [E.W.E.]).
J Food Prot. 2019 Mar;82(3):371-378. doi: 10.4315/0362-028X.JFP-18-357.
Although vast amounts of consumer food safety knowledge and self-reported data exist, attitudinal data detailing perceptions of risk, control, and responsibility are lacking. Such data relating to vulnerable groups, including older adults, are particularly scarce. Perception determination is essential in consumer food safety research to facilitate a comprehensive understanding of the cognitive factors that may impact behavior. Previous research has indicated a relationship between food safety perceptions and behavior. Perceptual data can inform the development of targeted food safety educational interventions. This study was conducted to ascertain older adult consumers' cognitive perceptions regarding food safety. Older adults (≥60 years, n = 100) participated in a computer-assisted personal interview to determine perceived risk, control, and responsibility associated with food safety. Although the potential severity of foodborne illness may be understood, the association between foodborne illness and domestic food preparation may be underestimated. Significant differences were found between perceived personal risk, control, and responsibility and the risks, control, and responsibilities of others ( P > 0.001). Older adults perceived themselves to have lower levels of risk than other individuals have, suggesting perceptions of optimistic bias and personal invulnerability. Perceived greater levels of personal control and responsibility, compared with those of others, suggest perceptions associated with the illusion of control. Correlations were evaluated between personal perceptions of risk, control, and responsibility ( P < 0.05). Low levels of risk were correlated with high levels of control. Those respondents ≥80 years of age perceived higher levels of risk and lower levels of control and responsibility. Cumulatively, older adult consumers expressed perceptions of invulnerability, optimistic bias, and the illusion of control regarding food safety. Such perceptions may undermine attempts to provide education regarding food safety. Food safety messages for this audience must be tailored to overcome such perceptions.
尽管存在大量的消费者食品安全知识和自我报告数据，但缺乏详细描述风险、控制和责任感知的态度数据。关于包括老年人在内的弱势群体的此类数据尤其稀缺。在消费者食品安全研究中，确定感知对于促进对可能影响行为的认知因素的全面理解至关重要。先前的研究表明食品安全感知与行为之间存在关系。感知数据可以为有针对性的食品安全教育干预措施的制定提供信息。本研究旨在确定老年消费者对食品安全的认知感知。100 名年龄在 60 岁及以上的老年人参加了计算机辅助个人访谈，以确定与食品安全相关的感知风险、控制和责任。尽管可能了解食源性疾病的潜在严重程度，但食源性疾病与家庭食品准备之间的关联可能被低估。在感知的个人风险、控制和责任与他人的风险、控制和责任之间发现了显著差异（P > 0.001）。老年人认为自己的风险水平低于其他人，这表明存在乐观偏见和个人不易受伤害的感知。与他人相比，感知到更大的个人控制和责任水平表明存在与控制幻觉相关的感知。评估了个人对风险、控制和责任的感知之间的相关性（P < 0.05）。低风险与高控制水平相关。≥80 岁的受访者感知到更高的风险和更低的控制和责任水平。总的来说，老年消费者对食品安全表现出不易受伤害、乐观偏见和控制幻觉的感知。这些感知可能会破坏提供食品安全教育的尝试。必须针对这一受众量身定制食品安全信息，以克服这些感知。
