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Food Handling Practices Among Independent-Living Elderly, Judith Dianne Mcdonough

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Food has long been recognized as a vehicle of disease transmission; there are more reported illness associated with the consumption of food than all other environmental factors combined. The handling and storage of food are potentially dangerous and demanding chores for those who may have the sensory losses associated with advancing age, fragile health, and limited resources.

Group-administered questionnaires on the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of food handling were given to 276 seniors, aged 55 to 90, from ten mobile home parks randomly selected from San Bernardino and Riverside counties. As an indicator of possible foodborne illness, the questionnaire asked …