Journal article
Attitudinal and Behavioral Changes Concerning "Mad Cow Disease" Among Nurses in Lebanon
Ecology of food and nutrition, Vol.42(6), pp.373-383
11/01/2003
DOI: 10.1080/03670240390266129
Abstract
The current study included a sample of 159 nurses from the American University of Beirut's Medical Center (AUB-M.C), the St. Georges Hospital, and the Sacré Coeur Hospital in Lebanon. The aim of this study was to assess knowledge, attitude, and behavioral toward "Mad Cow Disease" (MCD) among these nurses. Nurses completed self-administered anonymous survey. The results of the study showed generally that nurses were not very knowledgeable about MCD. However, a high percentage of nurses answered questions related to the following categories: concentration of agent in the central nervous system (96%), fatality (86%) of the disease, causative agent (70%), similarity between new variant of Creutzfelt-Jakob Disease (nvCJD) and Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) (67%), treatment (65%), and existence of diagnostic test (64%). On the other hand, less than one-half of the participants reported the correct answers to: early symptoms (26%), possibility of transmission among humans (36%), contracting disease from gelatin (40%), and the number of reported cases worldwide (21%).
Age and hospital had no significant impact on the level of knowledge about MCD. Regarding sources of information about MCD, Nurses who used the Internet or WHO as a source of knowledge were significantly more knowledgeable than those who did not. But nurses who used the Ministry of Public Health as a source of information were significantly less knowledgeable than those who did not. The majority of nurses were concerned about the disease. In fact, 51 % considered themselves at risk of contracting MCD and 60% believed that the chance of acquiring the disease through the consumption of contaminated food products is high. In response to this concern, 81% decreased or completely stopped their consumption of beef. Age, level of knowledge, and attitudes were not determinants of changes in nutritional behavior.
The results obtained from the current study shed light on the knowledge, attitude, and behavior of nurses in the Greater Beirut area toward MCD.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Attitudinal and Behavioral Changes Concerning "Mad Cow Disease" Among Nurses in Lebanon
- Creators
- Steve Harakeh - Department of Biology , American University of BeirutRema A Afifi Soweid - Department of Health Behavior and Education , American University of BeirutHaifa Cortbawi - Department of Health Behavior and Education , American University of BeirutOssama Abbas - Faculty of Medecine , American University of BeirutRamzi Accaoui - Faculty of Medecine , American University of BeirutEdgard Bendaly - Faculty of Medecine , American University of BeirutWyel Hakim - Faculty of Medecine , American University of BeirutAbdul-Aziz Kadri - Faculty of Medecine , American University of BeirutRamy Masroujeh - Faculty of Medecine , American University of BeirutMakram Obeid - Faculty of Medecine , American University of BeirutKhaled Shatila - Faculty of Medecine , American University of Beirut
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Ecology of food and nutrition, Vol.42(6), pp.373-383
- DOI
- 10.1080/03670240390266129
- ISSN
- 0367-0244
- eISSN
- 1543-5237
- Publisher
- Taylor & Francis Group
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 11/01/2003
- Academic Unit
- Radiology; Cardiovascular Medicine; Injury Prevention Research Center; Community and Behavioral Health; Internal Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9984215116702771
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