Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Food Safety toward Foodborne Diseases among Libyan Adults in Tripoli
Keywords:
Knowledge, Attitude, Practice, Food Safety, Foodborne Diseases, Tripoli, LibyaAbstract
This study is to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) of food safety awareness among public Libyan people in Tripoli city. A cross-sectional study was randomly conducted on 100 (75 males and 25 females) Libyan adults who infected with foodborne illnesses a month before they participated in the questionnaire study. The foodborne illnesses were viral or bacterial infections that spread through foods or drinks into the digestive tract. The participants aged from 18 to 65 years. The study period was from 1 September 2022 to 30 November 2023. The study was carried out using a face-to-face questionnaire. The questionnaire form consisted of questions about personal information, knowledge, attitude, and practice of food safety. Results show that 51% of participants had a university degree and 75% had great awareness of foodborne diseases. Out of 100 participants, 45% were suffering from abdominal cramps after eating contaminated foods. Moreover, 69% of participants had medium income levels. One important finding was that there was a significant difference in knowledge, attitude, and practice about foodborne infections (p values =0.003, 0.004, 0.041, and 0.048, respectively), as well as a substantial correlation between educational level and understanding of the symptoms of foodborne diseases (p value = 0.020). Among public people, a significant association was observed between knowledge, attitude, and practice toward foodborne diseases, serving as an eye opener for future studies to increase knowledge, attitude, and practice among food consumers in Libya.
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