Patient Friends Association, Unaizah, Qassim, Saudi Arabia.
Family Medicine, Qassim Health Cluster, Qassim, Saudi Arbia.
PLoS One. 2024 Oct 23;19(10):e0311650. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0311650. eCollection 2024.
Food allergies, often triggered by minute amounts of certain foods, affect people of all ages and frequently occur in dining-out settings. Previous research in Saudi Arabia has not investigated the extent of restaurant workers' knowledge of food allergies and their role in protecting patrons from allergic reactions. This descriptive study assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of restaurant staff regarding food allergies in Qassim, Saudi Arabia between January and March 2023. Interviews and observations were conducted in four stages, and data were analyzed using the Environmental Health Specialists Network Food Allergen Study Protocol. Results showed that most restaurant staff had limited knowledge of food allergens and their symptoms, and a small proportion had received specific training on food allergies. Moreover, only 14% of restaurants provided allergen information on their menus. Despite these knowledge gaps, most staff exhibited positive attitudes toward managing food allergies. Findings also indicated that factors such as experience, training, and restaurant policies were associated with higher levels of knowledge and more positive attitudes. These results highlight the urgent need for the restaurant sector to implement food allergy measures, including clear policies and comprehensive training, to prevent potentially life-threatening incidents.
食物过敏，通常由微量的特定食物引发，影响所有年龄段的人群，经常发生在外出就餐的环境中。沙特阿拉伯之前的研究并未调查餐厅工作人员对食物过敏的了解程度及其在保护顾客免受过敏反应方面的作用。这项描述性研究评估了 2023 年 1 月至 3 月期间沙特阿拉伯卡西姆地区餐厅工作人员对食物过敏的知识、态度和实践。通过四个阶段进行访谈和观察，并使用环境卫生专家网络食物过敏原研究方案进行数据分析。结果表明，大多数餐厅工作人员对食物过敏原及其症状的了解有限，只有一小部分人接受过关于食物过敏的专门培训。此外，只有 14%的餐厅在菜单上提供过敏原信息。尽管存在这些知识差距，但大多数工作人员对管理食物过敏表现出积极的态度。研究结果还表明，经验、培训和餐厅政策等因素与更高的知识水平和更积极的态度相关。这些结果突显了餐厅行业迫切需要实施食物过敏措施，包括明确的政策和全面的培训，以防止潜在的危及生命的事件。
