Purpose: Focus groups were held with Maryland community members to identify what food safety and nutrition messages were misunderstood among high and low health literacy groups.
Methods: Participants were prescreened and sorted into high and low health literacy groups. High health literacy was defined as working in the health profession or self-identification as a caretaker of someone in a vulnerable population. A total of six focus groups were held; three were classified as high health literacy and three were classified as low health literacy. Focus group discussions were transcribed and analyzed for emergent themes between and within groups.
Results: Emergent food safety themes discussed by both literacy groups were: herbs and spices, chemicals/pesticides, trust of food handlers, Thanksgiving food preparation, washing raw poultry, and storage/leftovers. Unique topics among the high literacy groups were the lack of home economics classes and low knowledge regarding organic food safety. Unique topics among the low literacy groups were low cooking literacy and self-efficacy, as well as a desire to understand the science behind specific recommendations.
Significance: This study demonstrates similar and different gaps in food safety and nutritional knowledge among high and low health literate groups. Community cooking classes should be offered to provide hands-on n education that can help reinforce food safety and nutritional messages. Catering cooking classes to both high and low health literate groups can address knowledge and behavior barriers in a safe learning environment.