The influence of food allergy knowledge and health beliefs on food safety behaviour among nursery employees

• Main Author: Norrina, Din
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English; English; English
• Published: 2019
• Subjects: HF5549-5549.5 Personnel Management. Employment
• Online Access: https://etd.uum.edu.my/9096/1/s95281_01.pdf; https://etd.uum.edu.my/9096/2/s95281_02.pdf; https://etd.uum.edu.my/9096/3/s95281_references.docx; https://etd.uum.edu.my/9096/

Food allergy is one of the most life-threatening diseases that is recognized by the World Health Organization. Generally, however, issues on food allergy are ignored and not discussed comprehensively, unlike other chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and etc. Food allergy reaction occurs when someone consumes a food allergen and the allergic reaction occurs in the body, possibly leading to death. Food allergy affects all ages, although children are most at risk. With the increase in working parents, nurseries have become popular avenues where children to receive care and education. Nevertheless, are nurseries a safe enough place for their children?. An online survey was conducted to investigate the interrelationship between food allergy knowledge, health beliefs and food safety behaviour among 250 nursery employees in the government sector. This study used Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) and developed the Food Allergy Beliefs Model. Results revealed that, food allergy knowledge has no direct influence on food safety behaviour because the cue to action mediates the relationship between the two. In addition, food allergy knowledge is influenced by perceived severity, perceived susceptibility, perceived benefit, perceived barriers, cue to action and self-efficacy. This study has also been integrating the knowledge about food allergies and interventions to improve knowledge of food allergies not addressed simultaneously previously. It enhances the body of knowledge and reveals that respondents are amenable to receiving brochures as the most preferred intervention (34%) to increase their knowledge on food allergy. This is followed by training related to food allergy (27%), and posters (14%). Only a minority of the respondents were inclined to receive a food allergy management plan (7%). Therefore, this study provides important information in managing food allergy sufferers and in preventing allergic reactions in nurseries, it involved relevant parties such as nursery employees, parents, the Department of Community Development and the Ministry of Health.