Liew, Cui Sing (2023) Knowledge, practices, and risk perception among pet owners towards foodborne illness from pet food in Selangor, Malaysia. [Project Paper] (Submitted)
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Abstract
Pet food has been recognised as a potential vehicle for pathogenic bacteria such as Salmonella and Escherichia coli to be shared with humans, yet recent information on pet owners’ food safety knowledge and handling practices is lacking. Understanding the knowledge, practices and risk perception levels is vital to mitigate the exposure risk. A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the knowledge, practices and risk perception towards foodborne illness from pet food in Selangor, Malaysia. A total of 156 dog and cat owners from Selangor were recruited using convenience sampling. A questionnaire was used to collect data from pet owners on sociodemographic details, pet management particularly on pet food selection, and knowledge, practices, and risk perceptions relating to pet-associated foodborne illness. The pre-tested questionnaire was distributed to the pet owners either in printed form or through online surveys. Mean scores for knowledge, practices and risk perception were found to be 52%, 61% and 63% respectively. The majority of pet owners (78%) were uninformed about occurrences of pet food issues or recalls linked to foodborne pathogens. Only 38% of the pet owners recognised that foodborne illness can be transmitted from pets and pet food to humans. 34% of the pet owners did not wash their hands after playing with or feeding their pets. Two-thirds of the pet owners acknowledged the preventability of foodborne illnesses in humans. Most of the owners expressed concern about humans and pets getting sick from pet food. The study identified an association between pet owners' knowledge and their practices, but no association was found between practices and risk perception or between knowledge and risk perception. For sociodemographic characteristics, there is significant difference between educational level and risk perception. In conclusion, while the practices and risk perception among pet owners were found to be satisfactory, their knowledge levels were lacking. This study illustrated the need to strengthen efforts aimed at educating pet owners about foodborne illnesses from pet food and promoting pet food safety to safeguard the health and well-being of both pets and their owners.
| Item Type: | Project Paper |
|---|---|
| Faculty: | Faculty of Veterinary Medicine |
| Depositing User: | Ms. Nordeena Abdul Aziz |
| Date Deposited: | 30 Sep 2024 07:33 |
| Last Modified: | 30 Sep 2024 07:33 |
| URI: | http://psaspb.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/2079 |
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