Educational actions to proactive evolvement of food safety culture in a hospital catering

• Grant number: 24/05946-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: May 01, 2025
• End date: March 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Nutrition
• Principal Investigator: Laís Mariano Zanin
• Grantee: Leticia de Oliveira Fonseca
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Foodborne diseases are still a global health problem. The main cause is neglect of good hygiene practices in food services. In nutrition hospital services, hygiene practices must be reinforced due to the vulnerability of patients. Therefore, Food Safety Culture (FS-cutlure) has been identified as a new approach to reducing the risk of foodborne diseases, focusing on understanding the variables that shape the behaviors shared by food handlers. This descriptive, longitudinal and exploratory study aims to develop and implement educational actions to proactively evolve the FS-culture of the food and nutrition service at Hospital das Clínicas de Ribeirão Preto. For this purpose, quantitative and qualitative methods will be used, through questionnaires, checklists, and participant observation, according to eight elements: leadership, knowledge, commitment, communication, risk perception, work pressure and normative beliefs, work environment, and management system, styles and processes. For analysis, the data will be triangulated, according to a table for interpretation, where each element will receive a score from 1 to 3, being: 1 (reactive), 2 (active) and 3 (proactive). In the first FS-culture assessment, a semi-structured interview will also be carried out with food handlers, based on the variables capacity, opportunity and motivation that make up the COM-B behavior change model. Thus, a roadmap can be created for implementing educational actions according to the site's priorities, and the results of the COM-B model interviews. Subsequently, a new data collection will be carried out to verify whether there has been proactive transformation of the FS-Culture within the service.