Food Safety Knowledge, Perception and Self-Reported Practices of Reading Impaired Food Handlers in St. James, Jamaica

Abstract

Introduction: Jamaica’s food safety has been a priority since the 1960s, but the population still faces foodborne illnesses due to improper handling, inadequate personal hygiene, and manufacturing lapses. Furthermore, 1 in 49 individuals contract illnesses annually from contaminated foods, highlighting the need for tailored education and training.

Research Objectives: The study seeks to determine how reading-impaired food handlers perceive food safety training. The study aims to ascertain the self-reported practices of reading impaired food handlers in relation to key food safety parameters. The objective is to ascertain the level of knowledge that reading impaired food handlers possess regarding key food safety parameters. To identify gaps in food safety knowledge among reading-impaired food handlers. The objective is to assess the variations in knowledge and self-reported practices between trained and untrained food handlers concerning key food safety parameters.

Materials and Methods: This study employed a comparative quantitative cross-sectional research approach to examine the knowledge, perceptions, and self-reported practices of reading impaired food handlers in St. James, Jamaica. The study comprised of 94 participants aged 18 and older embedded in the learning theories, behaviour-based training model, knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) model, social cognitive theory, and the knowledge sharing process model. A convenience sampling strategy was used to examine trained and untrained reading impaired food handlers, with a One-Way Anova and an independent sample t-test conducted in SPSS Version 28 and Microsoft Excel between June 2022 and July 2022.

Findings: The mean knowledge score among food handlers was 57.6%, below the Ministry of Health and Wellness, with only 17% passing. Trained handlers scored higher (21.3%) than untrained handlers (12.8%). Self-reported food safety practices were better among trained handlers (47% satisfactory) than untrained handlers (27%), showing a small but significant difference. However, untrained handlers had slightly higher perception scores (81%) than trained handlers (78%).

Conclusion: The findings suggest that while training slightly improves food safety practices, it does not significantly enhance knowledge among reading-impaired food handlers. The high perception of food hygiene training among untrained handlers indicates a need for more accessible and effective training methods to improve knowledge retention and compliance with food safety standards.