Needs Assessment Survey for a Food Safety Education through We-Media: A Cross-Sectional Survey among Junior Students of an Education and a Medical University in Chongqing, China.

Many studies on food safety cognition and practice intervention among university students exist, but only few conduct needs assessment surveys. In recent years, We-media has been applied in the field of health education and promotion, but its application in food safety intervention is limited at home and abroad. This study aimed to explore the current situation of We-media use and assess the needs for food safety information through We-media among junior students of an education and a medical university. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among junior students of an education and a medical university in Chongqing, China in 2016. A total of 1,250 education students and 1,434 medical students participated in the questionnaire survey. Findings revealed that 71.4% and 64.8% of the education and medical students were willing to accept food safety educational information by We-media, respectively. In addition, 47.6% and 48.8% of the education and medical students were willing to accept food safety information through WeChat official accounts, respectively. Among the education students, 83.8%, 63.9%, 59.6%, and 13.0% wanted to acquire food safety knowledge by picture, text, video, and voice, respectively. Of the medical students, 84.7%, 67.7%, 62.3%, and 11.9% wanted to acquire food safety knowledge by picture, text, video, and voice, respectively. Gender, school category, and whether food safety information is given attention were the influencing factors of participants' willingness to accept such information through We-media (p<0.05). This study indicated that We-media could be an appropriate intervention approach for the junior students of an education and a medical university to accept food safety intervention. WeChat was also revealed as the best platform. Pictures, text messages, and videos were observed the most popular means for students to acquire food safety knowledge.