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Listeria education in pregnancy: lost opportunity for health professionals
Article first published online: 10 OCT 2007
DOI: 10.1111/j.1753-6405.2007.00120.x
Issue
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health
Volume 31, Issue 5, pages 468–474, October 2007
Additional Information
How to Cite
Bondarianzadeh, D., Yeatman, H. and Condon-Paoloni, D. (2007), Listeria education in pregnancy: lost opportunity for health professionals. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 31: 468–474. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-6405.2007.00120.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 10 OCT 2007
- Article first published online: 10 OCT 2007
- Submitted: March 2007 Revision requested: July 2007 Accepted: August 2007
- Abstract
- Article
- References
- Cited By
Keywords:
- Pregnancy;
- food;
- Listeria monocytogenes;
- knowledge;
- professional practice
Abstract
Objective: To explore the level of Listeria awareness among pregnant women attending antenatal services and to gain a better understanding of women's knowledge of Listeria risk and factors that affect their practice in this regard.
Method: This was a cross-sectional study carried out from April to November 2006 using a convenience sample of pregnant women attending antenatal clinics/classes in one private and two major public hospitals in South Eastern Sydney and Illawarra Area Health Services, New South Wales. Women were asked to participate by completing a self-administered questionnaire based on the standard food safety recommendations for pregnant women to avoid Listeria infection. The association between different socio-demographic variables and Listeria knowledge, and related food practices, were investigated using bivariate and multivariate analysis.
Results: Nearly half of the 586 respondents had received some kind of information on Listeria prevention. The main channel for obtaining information was social environment. More than 57% had an incomplete knowledge of foods with high Listeria risk, and approximately 25% continued the consumption of these foods with a relatively high frequency. A strong association was found between women's knowledge and their practice. Lower education and household income, unplanned pregnancy and non-English-speaking background were associated with incomplete knowledge and more frequent consumption of at-risk foods.
Conclusion and Implications: The provision of advice on Listeria prevention appears to be insufficient during prenatal consultations early in pregnancy and needs to be improved as an essential component of these services.