Determinants of food safety practices among Ethiopian households: a multilevel mixed effects linear regression analysis

The total weighted sample included in this analysis was 62,432,197. Model with the lowest DIC, AIC and BIC values was selected as the best-fitting model. Safe food handling practice among households was 42.4%. Being completed primary school, secondary/vocational education, and university-level education had higher safe food handling practices by 0.21 (95% CI: 0.10, 0.32), 0.49 (95% CI: 0.36, 0.63), and 0.84 (95% CI: 0.64, 1.05), respectively. Working in government, the private sector, self-employed, and retired had significantly higher safe food handling practices by 0.28 (95% CI: 0.05, 0.51), 0.45 (95% CI: 0.17, 0.72), 0.34 (95% CI: 0.14, 0.54), and 0.35 (95% CI: 0.07, 0.64), respectively. Being poorer, middle, richer, and richest wealth index had significantly higher safe food handling practices by 0.33 (95% CI: 0.16, 0.50), 0.52 (95% CI: 0.33, 0.71), 0.84 (95% CI: 0.60, 1.08), and 1.37 (95% CI: 1.09, 1.65), respectively. Being married, female respondents, households having access to basic hygiene services, residing in urban areas, and being exposed to health information were significantly associated with the outcome. There is a significant gap in safe food handling practices. Core household and community-level factors that influence safe food handling practices were identified. Policymakers should implement targeted interventions.