CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

This chapter will be talking on the background statement of problem, objectives, research questions, significant of study, scope of the study and operational definition of terms.

1.1 BACKGROUND AND STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Food poisoning was first identified as a public health issues in the 1880s and the notification of cases was introduced in England and Wales in 1938 (Hardy, 2016). In the years after World War II, as notification statistics highly increased, local and national campaigns were launched to educate the general public and especially commercial food handlers on the principles of food poisoning prevention.

Salmonella were the dominant bacterial agents associated with food poisoning in Britain until overtaken by Campylobacter in the late 1970s. Salmonella as agents of food poisoning infection in humans attracted the attention of a small group of British researchers and a number of researchers globally during the interwar period. During the bacteriological investigation of an outbreak caused by the consumption of the flesh of an emergency slaughtered Cow (A sick animal slaughtered before natural death in-order that its meat might enter the human food chain). In the mid 1890s typhoid infection was linked to the consumption of sewage contaminated shellfish. The historical routes to understanding this complex world began in 1907 with the realization that the real bacterial agents of spread are humans themselves, whether sick, or transient or chronic carriers of the bacteria. Their researches turned up ever increasing as the years goes by (Hardy, 2016) .

When considering in the whole world, the number of deaths due to diarrhea caused by food poisoning is the second highest after cardiovascular illness. Globally, 48 million people get sick from a food borne illness. 128,000 are hospitalized and 3000 die in each year (Services, 2019) In the United States of America, every year about 48 million food based illnesses are being reported: 128,000 people are hospitalized and 3000 die, the 31 known pathogens account for an estimated 9.4 million annual cases, 55, 961 hospitalized and 1, 351 deaths (Roberto, 2018) In England, Every year 9. 4 million food based illness are being seen (Semra and Hande, 2009). Also 11 million found in Africa and 1 million cases in Cameroon by year 2003, (Jean et al, 2018). 1 million cases have been reported in Cameroon attributed to various origins like chemicals, microorganism, etc. The most commonly reported cases are caused by Campylober and Salmonella bacteria and parasite (Jean et al, 2018). More to that, a recent study carried out in Bamenda March 20 2018, a total of 323, 169 patients were consulted during a four years record 2010 to 2014 and the age group 5 to 35 years were the highest people reported with food poisoning (Jean, et al, 2018). This changing consumer lifestyle emphasizes the need for better, effective ways of controlling food hygiene’s. there is strong statistical evidence that the incidence of food poisoning caused by Caterers in greater than in any other food sector, accounting for 70% of all bacterial food poisoning outbreaks are due to inadequate time and temperature  control of food, while the remaining 30% are result of cross contamination (Wilson, et al, 1997).

The purpose of this study is to assess youths’ knowledge on food poisoning prevention of food poisoning in the Bota-Land community since Boat-land community is made of youths ranging from 18 to 35 years of ages as most youths turn to consume food from different places like restaurants, shops and roadsides (food vendors) without taking into consideration of hygienic condition used in preparing, preserving the meals they consume. This research will be carried out for a period of 5 months from December 2020 to April 2021.

In recent study carried out in Bamenda  (March, 2018) a total of 323, 169 patients were consulted during a four year records 2010- 2014 and the results revealed food poisoning among age group  5 – 35 ( Jean, et al, 2018). Bota-land community almost comprise of this same age group. Also the investigator during one of her clinical placement at the Limbe District Hospital  in 2019, most of the patients admitted precisely at the medical unit were youths diagnosed of Typhoid, Entameoba hytolitica ant others which might be all related to food poisoning and also other cases witnessed from classmates, neighbours, friends and family of abdominal cramps, watery or bloody diarrhea, vomiting, fever after consuming  some meals that were bought from food vendors and these are all signs of food poisoning. With the above points and statistics, this motivated the investigator to assess youth’s knowledge on food poisoning, carry out sensitization on preventive habits and lifestyles so as to reduce the increasing trend of food poisoning in this country beginning with the Bota land community in Limbe I and therefore I deem it necessary to up with this Topic: Assessing Youth’s Knowledge on Food Poisoning amongst people age 18 to 55 in the Bota land community.

1.2 OBJECTIVE

– General Objectives

To assess the knowledge of youths aged 18-35 years on food poisoning in the bota land community Limbe II

– Specific Objectives.

1) To assess the knowledge of youths aged 18-35 years on food poisoning in the bota land community.

2) To assess youths’ knowledge on the symptoms Food Poisoning.

3) To assess youths’ knowledge on the preventive measures of food poisoning in the Bota land community.

4) To assess youths’ on the challenges faced on the prevention of food poisoning.

1.3 RESEARCH QUESTION

1)  What knowledge do youths have on food poisoning in the Bota Land Community?

2) What knowledge do youths have in the different preventive measures of food poisoning in the Bota Land community?

3) Can the youths of Bota land community identify the symptoms of food poisoning?

4) What are the challenges faced by youths in preventive food poisoning?