Abstract:
ackground: Food safety is an important aspect in public health, as millions of people worldwide suffer from foodborne diseases. Foodborne diseases from contaminated food consumption causes millions of people die and many to be hospitalized. Since household food safety handling practice and associated factors among mothers at their homes are not well studied, conducting the current study has paramount importance to propose intervention at different level. Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess household food safety handling practice and associated factors among mothers in Abuna Gindeberet district, West Shoa Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia 2021. Methods: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted among 588 mothers in Abuna Gindeberet district selected by systematic sampling technique from February 1-30, 2021. Data were collected by using interviewer administered questionnaires, observation checklist and focus group discussions. Collected data were coded and entered to Epi Info version 7 and SPSS version 25.0 software for analysis. The qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis was used. Descriptive analysis was presented by texts, tables and graphs. In the inferential statistical analysis, P-value ≤ 0.25 in the bi-variable logistic regression analysis was used to identify candidate for multivariable logistic regression analysis. Variables resulted in p-value less than 0.05 in multivariable logistic regression analysis have statistically significant association with the outcome. Odds ratio with their 95% confidence interval was computed to declare statistically significant variables.
Results: This study finding indicated that among 565 study participants, 48.8 %( 95%CI: (43.9, 53.2)) of them were found to have good food safety handling practices. Having training towards food safety handling practice [AOR=1.63 (1.048, 2.544)], adequate knowledge towards food safety handling practice [AOR=2.61 (1.811, 3.762)], positive attitude of mothers towards food safety handling practice [AOR=1.81(1.205, 2.713)] and presence of proper waste disposal sites [AOR=1.54 (1.033, 2.301)] were found to be statistically significant with food safety handling practice.
Conclusion: In this study less than half of mothers had good food safety handling practices. Training, waste disposal system, knowledge and attitude of mothers were predictors of food safety handling practice. However, these can be improved through health education and awareness creation training for mothers, maintaining and establishing waste disposalsystem, appropriate home visiting are important interventions to enhance their level of food safety handling practice by Health Extension workers
