Effect of Health Teaching Program on Food Hygiene Locus of Control and Self-efficacy among Community Dwelling Older Adults

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Lecturer of Gerontological Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Damanhour University,

2 Lecturer of Gerontological Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Damanhour University.

3 Assistant Professor of Gerontological Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Assuit University.

Abstract

Background: Locus of control is serious to which older adults view their attainment of safe food hygiene within
their own control internal or external determined by their beliefs regarding personal responsibility. Improving the
knowledge regarding foodborne illness and food hygiene for the older adults through health teaching program
affect their belief and confidence that influence the personal ability to the recommended food hygiene. Aim: Is to
investigate the effect of health teaching program on food hygiene locus of control and self-efficacy among
community dwelling older adults. Research design: A quasi-experimental design was utilized to accomplish this
study. Settings: The study was carried out in the central health insurance clinics at Assiut Governorate, Egypt
(medical, diabetic, chest, and cardiology clinic). Subjects: Eighty female older adults from the previously
mentioned settings were selected according to the following inclusion criteria; aged 60 years and above, able to
communicate effectively, attending the previously mentioned settings during the time of data collection, and
willing to participate in the study. Tools: Five tools were used for data collection: Older adults' health status and
socio – demographic data, Food Hygiene Locus of Control scale, Food Hygiene Self-efficacy scale, Food Hygiene
related knowledge scale and Food Hygiene related practice questionnaire. Results: all the studied female older
adult’s Food hygiene locus of control, self- efficacy related to knowledge and practice improved and achieved a
highly statistically significant differences after the implementation of the food hygiene teaching program than
before. Conclusion: Food hygiene locus of control, self-efficacy related to knowledge and practice among all the
studied female older adults improved after the implementation of the food hygiene teaching program
Recommendations: Raising the awareness about the importance of practicing food safety and hygiene by
conducting a food hygiene campaign towards different age groups. Also, should be cultivated from early education
by including it into the national curriculum.

Keywords