Knowledge, Attitude, Practice and Food Poisoning Associated Factors Among Parents in Bench-Sheko Zone, Southwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Background Food poisoning is a food borne disease, mainly resulting from ingestion of food that contains a toxin, chemical or infectious microorganisms like bacteria, virus, parasite, or prion. On the other hand, avoiding food contamination during preparing and feeding is a key factor for reducing the prevalence of food poisoning. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, self-reported practice and food poisoning associated factors among parents in the selected health centers of Bench-Sheko Zone in Ethiopia. Methods An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 408 systematically selected parents in Bench-Sheko zone, Ethiopia. The data were collected through face to face interview using a structured questionnaire. Results The median knowledge score was 8.0 with an interquartile range (IQR) of 8.0–10.0. The median attitude score was 9.0 with an IQR of 6.0–9.0. The median practice score was 12.0 with an IQR of 10.0–13.0. A positive correlation was seen between knowledge and attitudes of parents with food poisoning (r= 0.321, P < 0.026), between knowledge and practices of parents towards food poisoning (r= 0.312, P < 0.001) and between attitude and practices result towards food poisoning (r= 0.224, p < 0.031). The parents with a higher education level, employed and who live in a city were the factors significantly associated with higher knowledge scores ( p < 0.05). The improved attitude was seen as educational level increased ( p <0.05). The parents with female gender, employed and who live in a city were significantly associated with higher hygienic practices towards the prevention of food poisoning ( p <0.05). Conclusion The knowledge, attitude, and self-reported practices of parents regarding food poisoning prevention are associated with each other and are affected by socio-demographic variables. Therefore, adequate emphasis should be given by health sectors to designing strong strategies which address the specific contributing factors for the problem.

Hygiene‐related knowledge, attitude and practice: An imperative study among primary caregivers of the under three aboriginal children in Malaysia

“…Meanwhile, employed mothers also significantly had higher satisfactory hygienic practices in relation to the prevention of food poisoning (Zyoud et al, 2019). Similar findings were also reported among parents in Ethiopia (Mekonnen et al, 2021).…”

“…Many studies have also identified associated factors of hygiene related knowledge, attitude and practice among parents and caregivers, from the perspectives of food hygiene or food poisoning (Mekonnen et al, 2021; Zyoud et al, 2019) in general, with lacking evidence among the indigenous community. In a study conducted among parents in Palestine, those with a higher education level and who live in a city were found to have significantly higher hygiene knowledge scores, with hygiene attitude that was also improved as educational level increased and income level increased (Zyoud et al, 2019).…”

Food Safety Concerns and Practices Among Palestinian University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Many studies published on food poisoning showed that many factors influence food safety knowledge, attitudes, and practice, including age, gender, residency, and education (Mekonnen et al, 2021; Mshelia et al, 2022; Shati et al, 2021; Yemane & Tamene, 2022). Older age, along with an increased length of practice, is associated with increased knowledge.…”

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to food poisoning prevention among Vietnamese medical students: Results of an online survey

“…Females tend to have a better attitude than males, as is reflected in a study about postgraduate students in a public university in Selangor, Malaysia, 19 and research conducted among parents in the Bench-Sheko region, Southwestern Ethiopia. 25 Meanwhile, research results on students at Majmaah University show no such relationship. 18 Our research also revealed that respondents who had engaged in courses or subjects covering FP demonstrated better attitudes, aligning with findings from a study conducted on students in Bangladesh.…”

“…Similar to the research results on veterinary students at Trakia University, Bulgaria, 23 our study shows that females are more likely to have good FP prevention practices than males, supporting the findings of studies conducted in Palestine, 8 Bangladesh, 21 and Southwestern Ethiopia. 25 This can be attributed to females' often food-processing activities and preparing and providing meals for their families. Consequently, they may have a stronger motivation to prevent FP.…”