The effects of food safety education on adolescents' hand hygiene behavior: an analysis of stages of change.
- Author:
Eun Joo KIM
1
;
Andrew J PAI
;
Nam E KANG
;
Woo Kyoung KIM
;
Young Soon KIM
;
Hyun Kyung MOON
;
Ae Wha HA
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords: Hand-washing; middle school students; behavior; self-efficacy; stages of change
- MeSH: Food Safety; Hand; Hand Disinfection; Hand Hygiene; Humans; Male; Mentors; Self Efficacy
- From:Nutrition Research and Practice 2012;6(2):169-174
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: The hand hygiene behavior of 400 middle school students (grades 1-3) in Seoul and Gyeonggi-Do was studied to determine how stages of change were affected by food safety education, focusing on hand hygiene and general food safety. Subjects were 51.3% male and 44.3% of study subjects were first graders of middle school. Approximately 40% of subjects were at the stage of action, 42.7% were at the stage of contemplation, and 16.4% were at pre-contemplation. The most important factor that influenced proper hand washing was self efficacy (P < 0.001). Proper hand washing was also correlated significantly with positive belief (P < 0.01) and stages of change (P < 0.01). After food safety education by high-school mentors, middle-school students who were in the stages of pre-contemplation (11.1%) and contemplation (88.9%) showed significant progression toward the action stage (P < 0.001). Proper hand washing (P < 0.01) and food safety knowledge (P < 0.05) were also significantly increased after educational intervention.
