Purpose: The objective of this study was to determine the risk perception and demographic factors associated with food safety behaviors in cancer patients seeking chemotherapy and radiation treatment.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study that recruited participants from two cancer-specific hospitals in Ohio. A 173-item questionnaire assessed the food acquisition and preparation practices and attitudes toward different aspects of food safety in the cancer population. It included sociodemographic factors, food insecurity status, and disease factors. The data were analyzed using SPSS.
Results: Participants (n=120), were mostly breast cancer patients (48.1%), female (84.6%), older than 50 (73.1%), and white non-Hispanic (83.5%). About 38% had a college degree or more and 26.2% had at least one year of college education. A total of 2.9% participants had low food security, while 8.7% were marginally food insecure. Low income was associated with risky food acquisition practices (r=0.310, P<0.01), like eating other people’s leftovers (33%), roadkill (3%), or spoiled foods (2%). Low income was associated with unsafe food storage and preparation, such as storing eggs at room temperature (r=0.434, P<0.01) and leaving cooked foods left on the stovetop overnight (r=0.380, P<0.01). Half of the participants were aware that they are at increased risk of contracting foodborne diseases due to cancer. Food insecurity in cancer patients was associated with a decreased risk perception (r=0.262, P<0.01).
Significance: The findings can be used to develop effective food safety education programs for cancer patients and highlight the need for food safety education for patients during cancer treatment.