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<p>Food Safety for Diverse Families with Young Children is a theoretically based project using the constructs of the Health Belief Model for the research component and a social marketing framework for the educational program development and delivery components. Families with young children are at risk for foodborne illness. Questions such as "where and how diverse families with young children (primary food handler) receive food safety information to prevent foodborne illness" may be different in various cultures. Different cultural backgrounds with non-scientifically based cultural food beliefs that are transferred informally in the specific culture may impact the safety of the food prepared and eaten in diverse families. Therefore, diverse families and particularly children under 10 may be at an increased risk for foodborne illness if improper food handling techniques are used. Further, several surveys with Hispanic families have shown that consumers are unaware of the nature of food borne illness and the causes. The long term outcome of this project is to reduce foodborne illness in diverse families with young children. The goals of this project are to ascertain among primary food handlers within diverse families current food safety handling practices, cultural beliefs that impact food safety, barriers and motivators to implementing safe food handling practices, and effective strategies to reach Hispanic and Native American families with targeted information to prevent foodborne illness. Objectives Based on the limited research and the need to reach diverse families with young children with food safety information due to increased risk for foodborne illness for children, we propose: </p>
<p>1. To conduct in-depth elicitation interviews to ascertain current food safety behavior, barriers/motivators and beliefs of the primary food handler within diverse families (Native American and Hispanic) with young children (10 years and younger) utilizing the constructs of the Health Belief Model. </p>
<p>2. Based on the results of the in-depth elicitation interviews, to develop and implement a multifaceted food safety educational program using many delivery methods, including technology, to reach the targeted audiences. A social marketing framework will be used in the educational program development and delivery. </p>
<p>3. To conduct an outcome based evaluation of the educational programming.</p>
<p>NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY:<br/> The Food Safety for Diverse Families with Young Children project is to ascertain the food safety beliefs, barriers/motivators and behaviors of primary food handlers within diverse families (Hispanic and Native American) and to design and test tailored educational messages to this audience using a Social Marketing framework. A collaborative approach will be used bringing together researchers, extension faculty and specialists from the University of Nebraska and the University of New Mexico. Food Safety for Diverse Families with Young Children is a theoretically based project using the constructs of the Health Belief Model for the research component and a social marketing framework (CDC SMART model) for the educational program development and delivery. The need to reach diverse families with young children under 10 years of age about foodborne
illness and food safety information is well justified epidemiologically. There continues to be a marked increase in rates of foodborne illness among ethnic and racial groups in the U.S., more specifically, among children. These rates as well as the limited research available suggest that further research is needed to identify high-risk food handling practices and to tailor educational messages to this audience of diverse families with young children.
<p>APPROACH:<br/> The research component is based on the constructs of the Health Belief Model. As a result of the research findings, we will develop a multifaceted food safety educational approach to reach families with young children. The educational component will use a social marketing framework [(Social Marketing Assessment and Response Tool) SMART]. Elicitation interviews will be conducted with Hispanic and Native American families in communities where these populations are located in Nebraska and New Mexico. The objective of the elicitation interviews is to obtain a more accurate perspective of the current food handling practices, cultural beliefs and barriers of primary food handlers in families with young children. Because of cultural practices, interviews may not be restricted to only the primary food handler of the family. A significant person, such as a
grandmother (abuela) or elder who is respected as knowledgeable in the culture, will also be interviewed. A multifaceted food safety educational program will be developed using a social marketing framework (SMART). The culturally specific educational program components will be developed based on the findings of the in-depth elicitation interviews. Saturation with the educational program components will be conducted in the selected test sites within each state for a three-month period. The educational program will be developed and conducted using a social marketing approach to inform and influence individual behavioral changes to reduce foodborne illness in culturally diverse families with young children. An outcome based evaluation (Penna and Phillips, 2004) will be conducted upon completion of the educational programming.
<p>PROGRESS: 2012/09 TO 2013/08<br/>Target Audience: Participants (n=102, 81.4% females, mean age 38.3 + 13.9) were recruited on three Nebraska reservations; Winnebago, Omaha, Santee Sioux; and three Native American community centers in Lincoln, Omaha, South Sioux City. Changes/Problems: A 1 year no cost extension was requested and received to reach a large population for the educational program forthe target audience. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Dr. Peggy Tilgner, Education consultant provided an in-service for our Nebraska team on using the Conceptual Change Teaching Strategy for the development of the lesson plan. Let's FightBac! Lesson Plan was developed between January 1, 2013 andJune 1, 2013 andtwo initial educational programs were delivered to Native American audiences. Recruitment for Hispanic
audiences were initated for program deliver in the fall of 2013. A Train-the-Trainer program is scheduled with the New Mexico partners for fall 2013 on this lesson plan. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Inital findings of the Hispanic focus groups as a result of the MS Thesis by Kristen Stenger, 2012,"A Mixed Methods Approach to Food Safety Knowledge, Beliefs and Practices for Hispanic Families with Young Children in Nebraska" was disseminated to Hispanic community public health organizations. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? The educational program, Let's FightBac! Lesson Plan will be used with additional programs delivered to Native Americanfamilies with young children and educational programs will be delivered to Hispanic families with young children.
<p>PROGRESS: 2011/09/01 TO 2012/08/31<br/>OUTPUTS: The long term outcome of this project is to reduce foodborne illness in diverse families with young children. The goals of this project are to ascertain among primary food handlers within diverse families current food safety handling practices, cultural beliefs that impact food safety, barriers and motivators to implementing safe food handling practices, and effective strategies to reach Hispanic and Native American families with targeted information to prevent foodborne illness. Objective 1: To conduct in-depth elicitation interviews to ascertain current food safety behavior, barriers/motivators and beliefs of the primary food handler within diverse families (Native American and Hispanic) with young children (10 years and younger) utilizing the constructs of the Health Belief Model. PARTICIPANTS: Personel working on the
Project: Siebert, M. Perry, C. Albrecht, J. O'Connell, L. Larvick, C. Stenger, K. Vlasin-Marty, K. Partner organizations: Native American Reservations in Nebraska Hispanic Centers in Nebraska Numerous collaborators from above organizations. Training/professional development: Mixed methods research consultants TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
<p>PROGRESS: 2011/09/01 TO 2012/08/31<br/>OUTPUTS: The long term outcome of this project is to reduce foodborne illness in diverse families with young children. The goals of this project are to ascertain among primary food handlers within diverse families current food safety handling practices, cultural beliefs that impact food safety, barriers and motivators to implementing safe food handling practices, and effective strategies to reach Hispanic and Native American families with targeted information to prevent foodborne illness. Objective 1: To conduct in-depth elicitation interviews to ascertain current food safety behavior, barriers/motivators and beliefs of the primary food handler within diverse families (Native American and Hispanic) with young children (10 years and younger) utilizing the constructs of the Health Belief Model. PARTICIPANTS: Personel working on the
Project: Siebert, M. Perry, C. Albrecht, J. O'Connell, L. Larvick, C. Stenger, K. Vlasin-Marty, K. Partner organizations: Native American Reservations in Nebraska Hispanic Centers in Nebraska Numerous collaborators from above organizations. Training/professional development: Mixed methods research consultants TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
<p>PROGRESS: 2010/09/01 TO 2011/08/31<br/>OUTPUTS: Because funding was delayed until Spring 2011, we are in the process of working on the first objective, The main goal of the project is to reduce foodborne illness in Native American and Hispanic families with young children. This task has been divided into three objectives based on the limited research and the need to reach Native American and Hispanic families with young children with food safety information due to increased risk for foodborne illness for children. The first objective is to conduct in-depth elicitation interviews to ascertain current food safety behavior, barriers/motivators and beliefs of the primary food handler within Hispanic families) with young children (10 years and younger) utilizing the constructs of the Health Belief Model. A knowledge questionnaire based on the food safety messages in the
FightBac and Be Food Safe (USDA) campaigns and previous surveys from the literature has been developed and validated. This validated knowledge survey will be used in the elicitation interviews. Elicitation interviews will be conducted among Native American and Hispanic families with young children until no new information is obtained and common themes are being repeated. An estimated 50-60 people for each population will be conducted. We are awaiting IRB approval to conduct the interviews. PARTICIPANTS: Dr. Christina Perry - University of New Mexico Carol Schwarz, Extension Educator Carol Larvick, Extension Educator Kristen Stenger, graduate student Kara Vlasin-Marty, graduate student Linday O'Connell, graduate student 2 UCARE students TARGET AUDIENCES: Diverse families (Native American and Hispanic) with children under 10 years old are the targeted audiences for this project. PROJECT
MODIFICATIONS: Because funding was delayed, we are working on Objective 1 as of December 2011.