A qualitative study on personal hygiene knowledge and practices among food handlers at selected primary schools in Klang Valley area, Selangor, Malaysia

Abstract

A study was conducted to determine personal hygiene knowledge among 25 food handlers at
\n12 selected primary schools in Klang Valley area, Selangor, Malaysia. A qualitative approach
\nusing in-depth interviews was employed and respondents were selected by a convenience
\nsampling. The results showed that the respondents had basic knowledge on personal hygiene
\npractices, mainly on hand washing (30.7%) and glove use (18.7%). The food handlers (<11%)
\nalso demonstrated their knowledge on other good personal hygiene practices that were related
\nto the use of hair restrain/cap/apron, keeping tidy hair/ clean nails/ clean hand, no bare hand
\ncontact with food, not wearing ring/jewelry, no smoking, tidy/clean attire and typhoid injection.
\nFurther assessment demonstrated that only 12% respondents were able to describe a reasonable
\nprocedure for hand washing and the steps that were missed most were the failure to specify
\nthe need to rinse and dry hands after washing. The respondents knew that the use of glove was
\nto prevent bare hand contact (80%) and can reduce risk of food contamination (88%). All the
\nrespondents agreed that food handlers with abrasion or cuts on their fingers or hands should
\nnot touch unwrapped foods. A high percentage respondents (>90%) practiced various good
\nhand washing practices, with only 36% did not practice washing hands after eating or drinking.
\nMost respondents (>70%) practiced glove use, however more than 50% did not wash hands
\nwith every glove change, change gloves when change type of products and after preparing raw
\nmaterial. The study showed that the food handlers have basic knowledge one good personal
\nhygiene practices. However, some discrepancies were revealed in the proper hand washing
\nprocedure. This study recommended good hand washing procedure to be reiterated among the
\nfood handlers. There is also an immediate need for continuous training among food handlers
\nregarding good personal hygiene practices.