Hygiene competence in the kitchen environment
Conditions
Interventions
Group 1: Hygiene training in the form of an interactive VR application
Group 2: Hygiene training using a recorded 2D presentation
Sponsors
Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaften Coburg
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: - At least 18 years old - Own kitchen available - Sufficient German language skills to complete the questionnaires - Written consent to participate in the study and for data collection
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: - Psychological and mental illnesses, such as anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, or severe depression - Medical contraindications, such as severe vision impairment, migraines, or epilepsy - Cognitive impairments, such as dementia - Addictive disorders, such as VR or computer game addiction
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| The aim of the study is to prevent foodborne infections in the domestic setting by enabling participants, through a hygiene training program, to reflect on and improve their own hygiene behavior. The study examines whether a VR-based hygiene training leads to a stronger and more sustainable behavioral change compared to a conventional video-based training. All participants, regardless of group allocation, receive a hygiene training and are thus given the opportunity to actively prevent the development of foodborne illnesses in their own kitchen environment. The effects of the two training formats are evaluated before and after the intervention using microbiological endpoints (surface and hand swabs) as well as the psychological instruments described below. Hygiene competence is assessed using a structured questionnaire specifically developed for this study. In addition, surface swab samples are collected from participants’ home kitchens at T0 and T2 to examine microbial diversity on surfaces using DNA-based analytical methods. Psychological endpoints are assessed using established and validated measurement instruments. Current emotional state is measured with the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), a standardized self-report questionnaire assessing positive and negative affect. Anxiety and stress symptoms are assessed using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS), which capture core dimensions of psychological distress. Contamination-related obsessive-compulsive tendencies are measured using the Dimensional Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (DOCS), with this study focusing on the contamination dimension. Health-related anxiety is assessed using the Modified Short Health Anxiety Inventory (mSHAI), a validated instrument for the quantitative assessment of health anxiety independent of the presence of organic disease. These instruments serve as psychological endpoints for the methodological evaluation of the hygie | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| As a secondary endpoint, experience-related and potential adverse effects of the intervention are assessed. This includes subjective sense of presence, measured using the iGroup Presence Questionnaire (IPQ), which comprises the subscales General Presence, Spatial Presence, Involvement, and Experienced Realism. Additionally, VR-associated physical discomfort is evaluated using the German version of the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ), including the subscales Nausea, Oculomotor, and Disorientation. These parameters are assessed at T1 (immediately after the intervention). The present study is designed as a pilot study. Its aim is to assess the feasibility, acceptance, and suitability of a VR-based hygiene training program. Based on the findings, subsequent studies will investigate clinically and practice-relevant fields of application, for example in hospital food services or in training settings for professional groups with direct patient contact. | — |
Countries
Germany
Contacts
Public ContactKarin Meißner
Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaften Coburg
Outcome results
None listed