Food Safety Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Among Dormitory Students at the University of Sharjah: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background Foodborne illnesses remain a major global public health concern, often linked to poor hygiene and unsafe food handling. Dormitory students are particularly vulnerable due to shared kitchen facilities and varying levels of food safety awareness. This study aims to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAPs) regarding food safety among dormitory students at the University of Sharjah. Materials and methods A cross-sectional study was conducted at the University of Sharjah during 2024-2025. The sample was selected using convenience sampling, targeting at least 385 students. A self-administered questionnaire adapted from validated studies was distributed among university dormitories. It included demographic data, multiple-choice questions (MCQs) assessing knowledge and practices, and a Likert-scale section assessing attitudes toward food safety. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 29. The chi-square test was used to assess the association between categorical variables, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Results A total of 399 dormitory students participated. Of these, 249 (62.4%) were female. Most students were aged 20 years or older. A total of 238 (59.6%) were enrolled in medical-related majors. The sample included students from women’s dormitories (150, 37.6%), men’s dormitories (150, 37.6%), and medical/nursing dormitories (99, 24.8%). Age and gender were significantly associated with practice level (p = 0.048 and p < 0.001, respectively), with students aged ≥20 years and female students demonstrating better practices. More than half of the medicine and health sciences students had good knowledge (130, 54.6%) compared with non-medical students (p = 0.004). Students in the medical/nursing dormitory reported higher levels of good knowledge (63, 63.6%) and good practice (55, 55.6%) (p = 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). Higher knowledge was associated with better attitudes and better practices, and a higher attitude level was associated with a better practice level. Conclusions Dormitory students at the University of Sharjah demonstrated poor attitudes and moderate levels of food safety knowledge and practices. The observed knowledge-attitude gap represents a public health concern. Universities should implement targeted educational interventions to improve food safety awareness and promote the translation of knowledge into appropriate attitudes and practices.