Abstract

GARCIA DE LA ROSA, Roberto Dair et al. Educational intervention on the subject of food-borne diseases with health technology students. Rev Cubana Hig Epidemiol [online]. 2012, vol.50, n.2, pp.213-221. ISSN 1561-3003.

Introduction: Food-borne diseases (FBD) are the most widely spread public health problem worldwide. Therefore, it is necessary to keep them under epidemiological surveillance in order to apply timely measures allowing their control and prevention. Objective: Expand the knowledge of food-borne diseases among students from the School of Health Technology in the province of Camagüey. Methods: An educational intervention experimental study was conducted at the School of Health Technology in the province of Camagüey from 31 December 2008 to 30 April 2009. In the first stage of the study, communication was established with the students, who gave their informed consent. The study universe was composed of 421 young adults, from whom a sample was selected (n = 110 students) by simple random sampling. A questionnaire was applied to all subjects in the sample. The information collected was kept under strict confidentiality. McNemar's analysis was used for the statistical validation of knowledge tables, with the purpose of showing the changes occurred before and after, with a statistical significance of p < 0,05. Results: There was a predominance of female sex and the 17-21 age range (53,5 %). Before the intervention, students had scant information about FBDs (47,2 %), their causal agents, and the measures to reduce or eradicate them. Conclusions: The educational intervention performed proved effective. Therefore, we recommend to extend the experience to health schools where food-borne diseases constitute a health risk for students and workers.

Keywords : food-borne diseases; educational intervention.

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