Study of environmental health status of food storages and fridges in one of Tehran province military forces in 2012

Document Type : Original Research

Authors

1 Health Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

2 Health Office, Health and Treatment Department of NZAJA, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Aims: Study of environmental health status of storages and fridges and comparing it with ideal situation is incredibly important. This study aimed to determine the environmental health status of food storages and fridges in one of the military forces of Tehran province.

Methods: In this Analytic Cross-sectional study, the situation of environmental health of the study centers was evaluated by the reliable and valid self-made checklist. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics including mean, percent and t-test using SPSS15 software.

Results: The results showed that 9.1, 72.7 and 18.2 percent of the fridges and 9.1, 54.5 and 36.4 percent of the storages were evaluated in good, moderate and weak levels, respectively. From the view point of temperature control 9.1 and 27.3, sanitary 9.1 and 45.5, site selection 36.4 and 90.9, shelf-life 18.2 and 81.8 and staff hygiene 45.5 and 36.4 percent of fridges and storages, respectively, was evaluated in good level. Storage and fridge management have significant difference in scores, among 11 environmental health variables (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: According to the present study’s results, the environmental health situation of storages and fridges in this military force is not desirable. Correction of commander’s attitude, sanitation, staff training, regular health control and surveillance and sanitation engineering principles are necessary for promotion of environmental health situation in these centers.

Keywords