Food Hygiene Literacy and Practice among Female Secondary School Educators: Pathways to Sustainable Health in Delta State, Nigeria

This study examined food hygiene literacy and practices among female secondary school educators as pathways to sustainable health in Delta State. Two research questions and two null hypotheses guided the study, focusing on the extent of food hygiene literacy and engagement in hygienic practices, as well as differences based on marital status and school location. A descriptive survey design was adopted. The population comprised 8,207 female educators in government-owned secondary schools, from which a sample of 370 was proportionately selected using multistage sampling across the three senatorial districts. Data were collected using a validated and reliable structured questionnaire (Cronbach’s Alpha = 0.788 and 0.745) and analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and t-test at the 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that female secondary school educators possessed a high extent of food hygiene literacy and engaged to a high extent in food hygiene practices that promote sustainable health. Marital status did not significantly influence literacy levels, indicating that literacy level and practice are stronger determinants of hygienic behavior than demographic characteristics. However, a significant difference was observed between rural and urban educators in their engagement in food hygiene practices, underlining the influence of environmental and infrastructural factors. The study concludes that female educators represent strategic agents for advancing sustainable community health. While their strong literacy base supports positive hygiene behaviors, bridging rural–urban infrastructural gaps is essential for consistent practice. The study recommends continuous professional training, educator-led community hygiene advocacy, and improved water and sanitation infrastructure to strengthen sustainable health outcomes across Delta State.