Thre Attitude of Food Safety and Hygiene Students Toward Their Field of Study and Future Career in the Iranian Universities of Medical Sciences

Attitude, as the most important social psychology concept, has a special place in research; undoubtedly, in university life having a positive attitude is essential for success in any field of study. The aim of this study was to determine tha attitude of food safety and hygiene students toward their field of study and future career in the Iranian universities of medical sciences.
This was a descriptive cross-sectional study, conducted in 2016, including 77 food safety and hygiene students in the Iranian universities of medical sciences, selected by census. Data were collected using a questionnaire containing 24 questions and analyzed by SPSS-24 software, the statistical tests being descriptive statistical tests.
The attitude score (Mean ± SD) of the students toward their field of study was 35.0 ± 12.4, indicating that they had a positive attitude, while the score of their attitude toward future career was 23.05 ± 10.86, which was less than acceptable. Further analysis of the data showed a significant association between the students’ attitude toward their field of study and employment status (p = 0.036).
Based on the results of this study, the food safety and hygiene students have a positive attitude towards their field of study, while their attitude toward future career is lower than acceptable, which demonstrates lack of a desirable attitude. Strengthening of training programs and advice and support for the students can play an effective role in reinforcing their attitude.