High School Students as the Target of an Integrated Food Safety Educational Intervention: Successful Results of a Pilot Study

High school students represent an important population for food safety knowledge intervention. The objective of this pilot study was to perform and assess a low-cost, feasible, reproducible food safety and hand hygiene curriculum and instructional comic book to demonstrate preliminary efficacy at increasing knowledge in high school students. A 34-question survey instrument was administered to 195 students at baseline and 171 students following the curriculum to determine knowledge, behaviors, and personal hygiene of the students. Frequencies of correct answers to each knowledge question and self-reported behavioral changes were examined to determine changes associated with the intervention. Student knowledge increased significantly, from 37% to 62% of 29 knowledge questions. Knowledge related to proper mechanisms for storing, thawing, and checking food temperature and cross contamination increased substantially. Commonly reported areas of behavioral change included washing hands for a longer period of time, sanitizing surfaces, cooking meat to the correct temperatures, thawing meat appropriately, and avoiding cross-contamination. These data demonstrate an association of an educational intervention and substantial knowledge increases and behavioral change in a predominantly minority high school student population. Further research enhancing the curriculum based on lessons learned, determining efficacy in other high school populations, and maximizing efficacy is needed.