ABSTRACT
En Venezuela la Corporación Nacional para la Alimentación Escolar, S.A. proporciona comidas en planteles oficiales (Programa PAE). Para evaluar la eficacia de la formación en conocimientos, actitudes y prácticas de manipulación de alimentos se realizó un estudio sobre higiene alimentaria con trece madres procesadoras de una escuela del Estado Nueva Esparta, para aumentar sus conocimientos, estimular actitudes para prevenir enfermedades y aplicar prácticas higiénicas en su trabajo. Se recolectaron datos aplicando cuestionarios pre-intervención y post-intervención (después de transcurridos 9 meses). Comprendían cuatro secciones: Información demográfica; conocimientos (prueba de selección múltiple), actitudes y prácticas (escalas de Likert con 3 y 5 categorías respectivamente). En el intermedio del estudio se dictaron cursos de manipulación de alimentos, supervisaron tareas rutinarias, realizaron conversatorios sobre fallas detectadas, desarrollaron tormentas de ideas para subsanarlas y entrenamientos en tareas de limpieza y desinfección. Los resultados se compararon a través de t-student y Mann Whitney (Wilcoson), con un nivel de significancia de (p < 0,05). En conocimientos (pre-intervención) solo una participante superó 7/10 puntos, siendo 3,7 el promedio grupal. En post-intervención 7 de ellas superaron los 7 puntos, con un promedio grupal de 6,2 puntos. En actitudes, respuestas positivas ascendieron desde 49,5% inicialmente hasta 64,8% (post-intervención). En prácticas de manipulación, inicialmente 28,6% de las respuestas afirmaron que frecuentemente o siempre ejecutaban lo descrito en proposiciones, incrementándose hasta 72,5% al finalizar el entrenamiento. Los resultados determinaron diferencias significativas (p < 0,05) entre puntuaciones de ambas etapas y se comprobó el impacto positivo de formar a madres procesadoras en higiene alimentaria.
In Venezuela country the National Corporation for Scholar´s Food, S.A. (CNAE), undertakes the responsibility for providing balanced meals in official schools (PAE Program). In order to evaluate the effectiveness of training in knowledge, attitudes and practices of food handling, a study in food hygiene was conducted with thirteen cookers from a school in the State of Nueva Esparta. The objective was to increase their knowledge, encourage attitudes to prevent food borne disease and apply hygiene practices in their work. Data were collected with questionnaires both before (pre-intervention stage) and (post-intervention stage) after nine (9) months. The questionnaires consisted of four sections: demographic information, knowledge (multiple choice test, and attitudes and practices that were measured using a scale of Likert with 3/5 categories respectively. Food handling courses were given in the middle of the development of the study, supervising routine procedures in kitchen, talking about several faults detected and also it was taken place storm ideas for rectify and it was given training about cleaning and disinfection tasks. The quantitative results of questionnaires were compared through t-student and Mann Witney (Wilcoson) tests. In the all cases, the significance level was (p <0.05). The knowledge results (pre-intervention) only one cooker overcomes 7/10 points, it was 3.7 points the group media. In the post-intervention, seven cookers obtained more than seven points, and the group media it was 6.2 points. Of relation to attitudes, the positive answers increased from 49.5% (pre-intervention) to 64.8% (post-intervention). As soon as handling practice, in the beginning 28.6% responses confirm that often or ever practicing the described in the questions, reaching to 72.5% in the post intervention phase. The study found significant difference (p < 0.05) among both scores. It was higher in the post-intervention. The survey findings suggest that training to cooker´s mothers hygienic was positive impact and the continuous education is needed to assure change to correct food handling practices and attitudes.