33C-11 |
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S. NIETO-MONTENEGRO, J. L. Brown, and L. F. LaBorde. Dept. of Food Science, Pennsylvania State Univ., 8-F Borland Lab., University Park, PA 16802 Education and training of food handlers is needed to prevent foodborne illnesses since food handlers’ mishandling has caused many outbreaks reported in the food industry. Sometimes educational materials do not work because they are designed without examining the worksite social and environmental factors affecting the target audience. Educational materials based on application of theory based models may address more effectively the cause of food safety problems. Other health related fields have relied heavily on theoretical frameworks as guides to develop educational materials and to predict individual’s behaviors. There is the need of more research using theoretical frameworks for designing food safety educational interventions. Our objective was to use the Health Action Model (HAM) as a framework for developing food safety educational materials for Hispanic workers in the mushroom industry. HAM identifies 5 constructs or systems that represent conditions surrounding mushroom workers: Baseline food safety knowledge, normative system, motivational system, food safety/belief system, and appropriate working environment and conditions. We made some refinements of the motivational construct for its use in this research. The information gathering process included an observation exercise and a focus group at each worksite (n=7) and 10-12 interviews/worksite (N=100 total). Each method explored one or more systems of the model. The information was triangulated across the model and used to develop the educational materials. The Health Action Model provided a framework in which the variables that influence food safety behaviors were identified and described. The findings provided by using this framework were helpful to identify factors that should be taken into account in designing an educational intervention for Hispanic workers in the mushrooms industry. We feel the HAM model can be used as a guide to develop customized food safety educational materials at a variety of different settings and target audiences in food production facilities.
Session 33C, Extension & Outreach: General
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