NEWS
11/17/1992

<TITLE>The start of a new food safety education program for nursing homes</TITLE>
<PRE>
P92-34                                        Food and Drug Administration
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                         Brad Stone - (202) 205-4144

    The Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and     
Prevention and the Health Care Financing Administration today announced the   
start of a new food safety education program for nursing homes to help        
reduce the incidence of serious and life-threatening foodborne diseases that  
can pose particular problems in the elderly. 
    The agencies are distributing two instructional videos that explain how   
to avoid foodborne illnesses, particularly among the elderly, by proper food  
handling and preparation.  The videotape/training kits also provide           
information on the illnesses themselves.
1975 to 1987," published last year in the Journal of the American Medical     
Association, said that, while nursing home residents accounted for just 2.4   
percent of cases of foodborne illness in this country, they accounted for     
19.4 percent of the deaths from foodborne illness.
    "A high proportion of nursing home residents may have weakened immune     
systems, so they have a greater susceptibility to these diseases and are 10   
times more likely to die from them than are younger adults," said HHS         
Assistant Secretary for Health James O. Mason, M.D., head of the U.S. Public  
Health Service.
    The new video package follows one developed three years ago by FDA and    
CDC showing how people infected with AIDS can protect themselves from 
                                   -MORE-

                                            Page 2, P92-34, Food Safety
foodborne illnesses.  The current program expands this effort to the elderly  
and others in nursing homes.
    The videotape series takes a two-tiered approach.  One videotape is       
directed toward informing nursing home administrators and medical directors   
about the scientific aspects of foodborne illness, such as the causative      
agents of disease, symptoms and diagnosis.  It also outlines methods for      
reducing the risk of outbreaks.
    The other videotape is targeted to nursing home food service managers     
and workers.  It instructs food service personnel on proper food storage,     
handling and preparation techniques, and is illustrated with case studies.
    The videotapes and case studies are being provided to the agencies'       
field offices throughout the country, and a limited number are also           
available to state and local public health agencies on a first-come,          
first-served basis.  Nursing homes and others may order the videotape         
training kit directly for $39.00 plus $3.00 handling from:
              National Technical Information Service
              5285 Port Royal Road
              Springfield, VA  22161
              Phone (703) 487-4650

When ordering, refer to # PB92-780857.

    FDA and CDC are agencies of the U.S. Public Health Service within HHS.    
The Health Care Financing Administration is another operating division        
within HHS.

                                    ###
</PRE>