Decreaseing the Relative Risk of Out-of-Compliance Foodborne Illness Risk Factor Rates in Douglas County; NE.

Specific Aim: The objective is to develop a targeted intervention designed to reduce the rate of the mostprevalent out-of-compliance foodborne illness risk factor in our community.Background: The Douglas County Health Department (DCHD) has successfully completed VoluntaryNational Retail Food Regulatory Program Standard audits for Standards 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, & 7. There are nineVNRFRPSs. The Department is now focused on VNRFPS Number 9. Standard 9 applies to processes usedto measure the success of a jurisdiction?s program in reducing the occurrence of foodborne illness riskfactors to enhance food safety and public health in the community. Standard 9 has three requirements.1. Ensure a risk factor study on ?the occurrence of the five foodborne illness risks factors. 2. A writtenanalysis of the data and a report on the outcomes. 3. A targeted intervention strategy designed to assessthe occurrences of the risk factor factor(s) identified in the risk factor study. This study focuses on therequirement number 3, a targeted intervention strategy designed to assess risk factor occurrence.Preliminary Data: Preliminary analysis reveals 47.6 percent of CDC foodborne illness risk factors inDouglas County NE establishments are contaminated utensils and equipment. Twenty-seven percent ofall out-of-compliance foodborne illness risk factors in Douglas County NE involve un-cleaned and un-sanitized food contact surfaces, a subcategory of CDC risk factors.Important Barrier: Our local response to the COVID 19 pandemic may alter timelines and fieldinspection routines. In addition, an analysis of data from 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021 may not showsignificant rate change; given rates are currently declining. Discrete, measurable differences may morelikely occur over several years instead of shorter intervals (i.e., monthly, quarterly, biannual, etc.), basedon an analysis of 2015-2019 preliminary data. Therefore, data collection and analysis will extendbeyond the grant support period to 1.) mitigate COVID 19 effects on timelines and field inspectionroutines and 2.) obtain more valid statistic to decide true differences.Expected Outcome: Lower the rate of occurrence of un-cleaned and un-sanitized food contact surfacesper inspection in Douglas County, NE.