Development of an Educational App for Safe Dietary Life based on Elementary School Parents' Perceptions on Pesticide Residue

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop an educational app that informs parents of elementary students with correct information on pesticide residue based on their awareness and information needs on pesticide residue. A survey was conducted from 918 parents living in 8 different districts of Korea. The results of the survey indicated that a majority of parents felt uncomfortable with pesticide residue and wanted to have the proper information regarding it. Based on the above results, an app named 'Perfect Conquest of Pesticide Residue' consisting of 5 main menus of 'Pesticide residue, Is it safe?', 'Safe management of pesticide residue', 'Perfect removal of pesticide residue on fruits and vegetables through washing', 'Shopping without anxiety', 'Playground' and their own sub-menus was developed. When the app was applied to 30 parents using smart phones, a majority of them were satisfied with the contents of detailed information and fun activities.Therefore, this app could be utilized as an effective educational tool for the parents of elementary students by allowing them to have proper awareness on pesticide residue. Furthermore, more apps could be developed on other food risk factors to promote safe dietary life. Perceptions on pesticide and pesticide residue food risk factors and their levels of concern reasons why PR is harmful, the risk level of PR, PR-concerned foods PR-contamination level in food, effective washing method to remove PR effective water type for washing persons or counterparts responsible for food safety necessity of pesticide for agriculture domestic produce' incongruity rate of PR necessity of education for food safety recognition of public regulations on PR