Author(s)

Jean Claude Mbuyi Tshimbangila¹, Casimir Sabwe Muamba¹, Emmanuel Tshibanda Tondoyi^1,2, Patrice Mukadi Kamutambayi¹, Juhdex Kasongo Kabongo^1,3, Damien Ilunga Tshibangu¹, Lucien Yanda Yanda^1,4, Theddy Kazadi Kabeya^1,2

¹School of Public Health, University of Mwene-Ditu, Mwene-Ditu, The Democratic Republic of Congo.
²Makota Health District, Mwene-Ditu, The Democratic Republic of Congo.
³Lomami Provincial Health Division, Kabinda, The Democratic Republic of Congo.
⁴Tshiamala Reference General Hospital, Mwene-Ditu, The Democratic Republic of Congo.

Introduction: Poor food hygiene is the basis of dirty hand diseases; especially in third-world countries. This problem also concerns DRC in general and the town of Mwene-Ditu in particular. Contributing to the implementation of good food hygiene practices on the market was our objective. Method: The cross-sectional analytical study within the small Koloboyi Market was carried out for a period of 9 months (January 25 - October 25, 2022), in the commune of Mwene-Ditu, province of Lomami in DR. Congo. Data collection was carried out using a semi-structured questionnaire. Statistical associations between the dependent variable and independent variables were established based on the Odds Ratio (95% CI) test. Results: During this study, 296 survey subjects were retained. After analysis, the observation is that the absence of hand washing (OR: 28.14 [8.28 - 95.58]; p = 0.00) and extreme ages including 10 to 17 years (OR 7.19 [2.24 - 23.08]; p = 0.001); 59 to 65 years old (OR 5.88 [1.44 - 23.96]; p = 0.02) as well as 65 years and over (OR 6.53 [1.38 - 30.97]; p = 0.03) are factors associated with non-practice of food hygiene. Conclusion: Building infrastructure and raising awareness about the implementation and compliance with hygiene measures among different vendors remains essential to improve the health of the population.

Associated Factors, Food Hygiene, Market, Mwene-Ditu

Tshimbangila, J.C.M., Muamba, C.S., Tondoyi, E.T., Kamutambayi, P.M., Kabongo, J.K., Tshibangu, D.I., Yanda, L.Y. and Kabeya, T.K. (2023) Factors Associated with Poor Food Hygiene Practice at the Koloboyi Small Market, in the Town of Mwene-Ditu in the DRC: Cross-Sectional Analytical Study. Open Access Library Journal, 10, 1-12. doi: 10.4236/oalib.1110738.