Session: Hidden Dangers: Disparities in Exposure to Foodborne Illnesses

4262.0: Tuesday, November 9, 2004: 4:30 PM-6:00 PM

Oral

Hidden Dangers: Disparities in Exposure to Foodborne Illnesses

In a culturally diverse nation, it is essential that health agencies provide culturally appropriate services. Public health efforts need to offer information and educational materials that are compatible with peoples’ different cultural health beliefs and practices. When public health workers incorporate culturally competent strategies into health promotion programs the result of the services is improved. It is more likely that the health status of the target population will be improved. In order to reduce the incidence of food borne illness outbreaks in minority populations, local public health workers must incorporate educational campaigns, which address risk behaviors that are specific to those populations. Successful communication of safe food handling and cooking practices can be challenging because of language and other social barriers. This presentation recommends approaches public health efforts can take to minimize exposure to polychlorinated persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic compounds among vulnerable populations at-risk for exposure. Culturally appropriate interventions and suggestions for effective risk communication will also be discussed.

Learning Objectives: 1. Recognize culture-specific risk behaviors that lead to foodborne illness; 2. Identify intervention strategies to address cultural practices which are associated with the occurence of foodborne illness; 3. Identify sources of exposure to polychlorinated compounds; 4. Evaluate the need for improved risk communication methods among vulnerable populations.

Organizer(s):

Nsedu Obot, MPH
Sacoby M. Wilson, MS
Shobha Srinivasan, PHD
Kimberly Gray, PhD
Daneen Farrow-Collier

Moderator(s):

Patrick Bohan

4:30 PM

Cooking with Blinders On? Who’s Really at Risk of Foodborne Disease and Why