Knowledge, attitude and practice of food hygiene among street food vendors near a tertiary care hospital in Kolkata, India

Authors

  • Saswati Mukherjee Department of Community Medicine, Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research, Kolkata, West Bengal
  • Tushar Kanti Mondal Department of Community Medicine, Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research, Kolkata, West Bengal
  • Abhishek De Department of Community Medicine, Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research, Kolkata, West Bengal
  • Raghunath Misra Department of Community Medicine, Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research, Kolkata, West Bengal
  • Amitabha Pal Department of General Medicine, R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20180786

Keywords:

Attitude, Food hygiene, Knowledge, Medical college, Practice, Street food vendors

Abstract

Background: Health care set ups in Indian cities are being catered by a number of street food vendors on whom the patients, visitors, doctors, medical students and staff depend. Thus, ensuring proper food hygiene among them is of uttermost importance. The purpose of the study was to determine knowledge, attitude and practice of food hygiene among them and various factors that influence it.

Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted on 106 street food vendors surrounding a tertiary care hospital in Kolkata. A predesigned pretested schedule was used to collect information on socio-demographic profile, knowledge and attitude on food hygiene through interviews and practice was observed. Statistical analysis was done using Pearson’s Chi-squared test.

Results: The mean age of food vendors was 37.74±10.70 years and majority were familiar with the terms “food hygiene” and “food borne illness”. The median score of attitude on food hygiene was 9.5 and significant (p<0.05) association was found with age, gender and education. Less than one third of street food vendors had acceptable practice and significant (p<0.05) association was found with education, marital status and type of food vendor.

Conclusions: The street food vendors were aware of food hygiene and had favourable attitude towards it, but it wasn’t translated in their hygiene practice. This study can help to identify the factors that influence food hygiene practice and incorporate them in food hygiene training. 

Author Biographies

Saswati Mukherjee, Department of Community Medicine, Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research, Kolkata, West Bengal

Medical Officer(Specialist) 

Department of Community Medicine

Tushar Kanti Mondal, Department of Community Medicine, Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research, Kolkata, West Bengal

Associate professor

Department of community medicine

Abhishek De, Department of Community Medicine, Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research, Kolkata, West Bengal

Demonstrator

Department of community medicine

Raghunath Misra, Department of Community Medicine, Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research, Kolkata, West Bengal

Professor & Head

Department of community medicine

Amitabha Pal, Department of General Medicine, R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal

Resident Medical Officer (RMO)

Department of General Medicine

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Published

2018-02-24

How to Cite

Mukherjee, S., Mondal, T. K., De, A., Misra, R., & Pal, A. (2018). Knowledge, attitude and practice of food hygiene among street food vendors near a tertiary care hospital in Kolkata, India. International Journal Of Community Medicine And Public Health, 5(3), 1206–1211. https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20180786

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Section

Original Research Articles