Strengthening Food Safety Through Health Education: Pamphlet-Based Intervention to Improve Hygiene Sanitation Practices Among Street Food Handlers in Car Free Day Bajra Sandhi Denpasar

Abstract

Abstract: Food safety is a critical determinant of public health, with unsafe food contributing to foodborne diseases and long-term health risks, including an increased burden of non-communicable diseases and cancer. Street food, while culturally and economically significant, is particularly vulnerable to contamination due to poor hygiene and sanitation practices among food handlers. This study evaluated the effectiveness of pamphlet-based health education in improving knowledge, attitudes, and hygiene sanitation practices among street food vendors at Car Free Day Bajra Sandhi Denpasar, Indonesia. A pre-experimental one-group pretest–posttest design was conducted involving 64 purposively selected vendors from a total of 328. Data were collected using questionnaires and direct observation, and analyzed using the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test and N-Gain score. Results showed statistically significant improvements (p < 0.001) across all variables. The N-Gain score indicated moderate effectiveness for knowledge (40.47%) and practice (36.94%), and low effectiveness for attitude (17.97%), reflecting that most respondents already held positive attitudes before the intervention. This study demonstrates that pamphlet-based education is a simple, low-cost, and scalable tool to strengthen food safety through improved hygiene practices. By reducing the risks of foodborne illness, such interventions indirectly contribute to lowering exposure to carcinogenic contaminants, aligning with the global health agenda of cancer prevention. Furthermore, sustainable impact requires cross-disciplinary collaboration involving health professionals, local authorities, and community organizations to integrate food safety education into broader cancer prevention and public health strategies.

Keywords: food, sanitation hygiene, food handlers, pamphlets, education, cancer prevention