Social Ecological Models are used in Public Health to better understand various factors that influence the health status and behaviour of individuals and populations (American College Health Association [ACHA], 2020). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) uses a four-level social-ecological model which considers the complex interplay between individual, relationship, community, and societal factors, to better understand violence and the impact of potential prevention strategies (CDC, 2020). This model can be adapted to better understand food safety behaviours in the context of commercial food establishments. Examples of commercial food establishments include restaurants, institutional kitchens, and grocery stores. In this blog, I will explain how individual, relationship, community and societal factors impact the food safety behaviour of workers in commercial food establishments.
Social Ecological Model
Individual
Factors such as age, education, and income/financial resources influence a person’s knowledge, ability to apply knowledge, and access to the tools and resources that impact food safety behaviours in individuals (CDC, 2020). The first level of the model identifies these factors, and intervention strategies (CDC, 2020) that promote good food safety behaviours. Intervention strategies could include food safety certification and access to better education, which increases the likelihood of gainful employment.
Relationship
The second level explores close relationships that may influence an individual’s food safety behaviour. Family members involved in parenting, peers, mentors, and close friends contribute to an individual’s experiences, and therefore influence each other’s food safety behaviours (CDC, 2020). Targeted interventions, such as educational programs on food safety for parents and peers can help to change detrimental attitudes and beliefs, thereby promoting good food safety behaviour at all levels.
Community
The third level explores the settings such as schools or vocational institutions, workplaces (restaurants, institutional kitchens) and community groups or community centres, where social relationships occur (CDC, 2020), and where food safety culture can influence an individual’s attitudes. Interventions such as introducing food safety into the curriculum or community centre activities, improving the food safety culture of management, and increasing access to food safety resources and tools can improve behaviours. For example, when a restaurant readily has access to potable water, soap, and paper towel, it would help promote hand hygiene in the facility.
Societal
The fourth level explores broad factors such as social and cultural norms, policies, and regulations (CDC, 2020) that influence food safety behaviours. For example, by understanding the value of certain cultural norms, implementation of policies and regulatory changes can consider ways to adapt these norms to meet the intent of the regulations. This can improve buy-in from communities. Also, in addition to education, regulatory enforcement can be used as a strategy to promote good food safety behaviours within populations.
Conclusion
The overlapping rings of the Social Ecological Model illustrate how factors at the various levels influence each other (CDC, 2020).This model therefore highlights the fact that a holistic approach to promoting food safety in commercial food establishments must apply interventions across all levels, from the individual to the societal level, to assimilate a culture of good food safety behaviour.
References
American College Health Association. 2020. Ecological Model. ACHA.
Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. 2020. The Social-Ecological Model: A
Framework for Prevention. CDC.
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