Assessment of the effectiveness of health training courses offered for food handlers in a health care district

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Food poisoning is a major Health Care issue. Health training is one of the mechanisms available for preventing these illnesses. The purpose of this study is that of ascertaining whether food handlers improve their knowledge regarding food handling practices by attending the courses which are offered for being awarded the handler card and of analyzing the impact of sociodemographic variables on the degree of knowledge prior to taking the course. METHOD: Pre-Post type assessment study on a sample of 500 handlers who came to the Public Health Center in the town of Gandía (Valencia) to take a training course in October 1997-February 1998. A self-test questionnaire taken prior to and following the course to gauge knowledge and other variables was used. RESULTS: A significant difference was found between the pre-test and the post-test, except with regard to the subject of personal hygiene. Those handlers having worked at this occupation for a longer number of years or who had prior health training answered correctly more often. CONCLUSIÓNS: The training courses heighten the degree of knowledge regarding food-handling practices. In training courses, greater emphasis must be placed on the subjects of food preservation, preparation and serving than on those of personal hygiene or facility cleanliness. Nonetheless, it would be of interest to research whether any changes in attitudes occur as an initial approach to assessing the effectiveness of the training and ascertaining whether any intention exists of putting the knowledge acquired into practice.