Effect of Food Safety Behavior Development Program Using Participatory Learning Process of Consumers in the Municipality Phibun Mangsahan, Ubon Ratchathani Province

Abstract

Food contamination is one of the hazardous factors causing health problems both acute and chronic conditions.  Thus, the main objective of this quasi-experimental study was to examine the results of the program to develop safe consumption behaviors using  a participatory learning process among consumers in the Phibun Mangsahan municipality area, Ubon Ratchathani Province. The samples were 70 consumers in the Phibun Mangsahan municipality area, Ubon Ratchathani province, Thailand (N = 35 for the experiment group; N = 35 for the control group). The experiment group joined the eight-week session which included a lecture based on the participatory learning process, experiential learning, and group process. The main instrument was questionnaires which consisted of such topics as knowledge concerning food safety; awareness toward hazardous substances in food and chemical insecticides; and food safety behaviors. For the data analysis, it was illustrated through descriptive statistics (percentage, mean, and standard deviation) and comparison tests (Independent t-test and repeated measure analysis of variance). According to the results, it has shown two interesting data. Firstly, for the experimental group, the mean scores of knowledge, awareness, and food safety behaviors after implementing the program were higher than before using it. There were significant differences between pre and post-implementation processes of the program (p < 0.001). Secondly, after using the program, the mean scores of knowledge, awareness, and food safety behaviors in the experimental group were higher than those of the control group with significant differences between the two groups (p < 0.001).  Therefore, the findings revealed that the intervention based on the participatory learning process of consumers is effective to the development of food safety behaviors.