ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To find out: (1) the socio-demographic and professional characteristics of food handlers working in food service establishments located in the campus of a medical college in New Delhi, (2) the prevalence of morbid conditions among them and their health-care-seeking behaviour and immunization status. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study METHODS: A total of 151 food handlers working in 18 food service establishments were interviewed regarding their socio-demographic and professional characteristics, history of substance use, disease if any and health care sought for it, immunization status and pre-placement and in-service medical examination. They were also subjected to clinical examination. Stool examination was done for 129 study subjects. RESULTS: The majority were less than 40 years of age (60.3%), male (97.4%), Hindu (95.3%), literate (80.1%) and had the habit of substance use (75.5%). Most of them (94.7%) had one or more morbid conditions, important ones being dental caries (50.3%), worm infestation (41.1%) and injuries/burns on hands (39.7%). The health seeking behaviour, immunization status in relation to enteric group of fevers and tetanus and pre-placement and in-service medical examination were observed to be unsatisfactory. CONCLUSION: The findings of the study highlight the need of creating awareness among food handlers about various measures of maintaining food hygiene and ensuring their good health through pre-placement and inservice medical examination.
