Assuntos
Unidade Hospitalar de Odontologia , Educação de Pós-Graduação em Odontologia/economia , Educação de Pós-Graduação em Medicina/economia , Hospitais de Ensino , Internato e Residência/economia , Medicare/economia , Mecanismo de Reembolso , Orçamentos , Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, U.S. , Economia Hospitalar , Hospitais de Ensino/economia , Humanos , Diretores Médicos , Estados UnidosRESUMO
The effectiveness of restaurant inspections and food handler education are not known. Consequently, the optimal frequency of neither has been determined. Thirty randomly selected restaurants from seven health units in three provinces were inspected by one of three senior inspectors. A questionnaire was used to collect the data. The violation score worsened when the time since last inspection was greater than 12 months, but did not worsen when the interval was shorter. Those restaurants in which supervisors and food handlers had completed food handler education courses had better inspection scores than those without. Restaurants whose food handlers had food service education had better scores only for time and temperature violations. These outcomes were all significant in a multiple regression model. The duration of most education courses was under five days. The time since the last food service education course was not significant. Routine inspections should be done yearly. Food service education should be offered to both supervisors and food handlers.
Assuntos
Manipulação de Alimentos/normas , Inspeção de Alimentos/métodos , Restaurantes/normas , Canadá , Escolaridade , Educação em Saúde/normas , Humanos , Administração em Saúde Pública , Análise de Regressão , Inquéritos e Questionários , Fatores de TempoRESUMO
To determine restaurant inspection and food handler education practices in Canada, a survey of 141 jurisdictions was conducted. The response rate was 100%. All jurisdictions inspected restaurants, but the frequency of routine inspection varied from none to six or more times per year. The frequency of violations found on routine inspection was associated with foodborne illness. However, the frequency of inspection was not correlated with disease or with violations. Food handler education courses were mandatory in 32% of jurisdictions. Most courses were one to two days. No correlation was found between the numbers of individuals trained in the past year and violations or reported foodborne disease. This lack of reduction in reported foodborne illness may be due to the ecological nature of the survey or to the lack of effectiveness of food handler education or of routine restaurant inspections in reducing violations.
