Assessing Existing Food Safety Resources with United Kingdom–Based Chemotherapy Patients and Family Caregivers for Future Learning Purposes

Abstract

As incidence of foodborne infection is more prevalent among cancer patients, and the domestic kitchen reported to be a contributor to foodborne infection; there is a need to ensure appropriate domestic food safety practices to safeguard this ‘at-risk’ population. Although patients are aware of the increased risk of infection, previous self-reported data indicate potential food safety malpractices among patients and family caregivers; thus suggesting the need for targeted food safety information. However, existing UK resources provide inconsistent and insufficient food safety information. Involvement of intended end-users in the co-creation of interventions increases potential effectiveness. Qualitative data was collated from in-depth interviews and a focus group with UK chemotherapy patients and family caregivers (n=35) to determine perceptions and preferences for food safety information, by evaluating existing food safety resources from international providers (n=12). Although participants liked digital interventions (e.g. websites/videos), traditional paper-based leaflets were perceived to be the most beneficial as they could be referred to on repeated occasions. Despite identifying drawbacks with some resources, combining approaches in a multi-resource intervention was favored by patients and family caregivers. Ensuring patients are not overwhelmed with excessive information was important. Short, logical, engaging, educational and entertaining information to evoke an interest in the topic was preferred. Utilization of graphics to supplement descriptive information may enhance comprehensibility. Interventions need to be appropriate for patients and caregivers and delivery by trusted healthcare professionals may enhance the credibility of the message. The study identifies preferred approaches to facilitate targeted food safety communication. Findings can be utilized to co-create targeted food safety interventions for chemotherapy patients and family caregivers.

Food safety communication in YouTube video recipes

“…This additional information would clarify the reason for food safety measures to enable consumers to evaluate the benefit of engaging with the recommended practice. Combining “ how ” to implement the food safety practice with “ why ” the practice is needed would reinforce the importance of the practice (Evans and Redmond, 2022). Currently, the Safe Recipe Style Guide is intended to support recipe writers to incorporate food safety messaging into all written materials (PFSE, 2020a); nevertheless, this study suggests that the guide should be utilised by YouTubers who create video recipes to incorporate food safety recommendations into pop-up messaging content and scripting.…”