{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,10]],"date-time":"2026-09-10T06:06:57Z","timestamp":1789020417552,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":33,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,10]],"date-time":"2026-09-10T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1788998400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Public Health"],"abstract":"\n Background<\/jats:title>\n Environmental contamination in the Niger Delta has generated concern about the safety of foods harvested from natural environments. Laboratory studies have shown that African giant snails can accumulate trace elements.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Objective<\/jats:title>\n To assess socioeconomic correlates of African giant snail consumption, awareness and food-safety perceptions, perceived public-health implications, and support for community and policy measures among adult respondents in Yenagoa Metropolis, Nigeria.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Methods<\/jats:title>\n A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among 391 adults recruited through a multistage community- and venue-based procedure. A 40-item questionnaire comprised four ten-item domains: (1) socioeconomic factors related to snail consumption; (2) awareness, perceptions, and coping strategies concerning snail safety; (3) perceived public-health implications and vulnerability; and (4) community-based interventions and policy measures, each scored on a five-point response scale. Domain scores were analysed as mean composite scores. Descriptive statistics, Pearson chi-square tests, Bonferroni-adjusted item-level significance tests, Cram\u00e9r\u2019s V, multiple linear regression with 95% confidence intervals, and a secondary repeated-measures general linear model with Bonferroni-adjusted pairwise comparisons were used.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Results<\/jats:title>\n \n Respondents were predominantly female (59.3%), students (53.2%), and highly educated (53.5% tertiary; 34.3% postgraduate. In the socioeconomic-item analyses, education was associated with several consumption-related items after Bonferroni correction, while income was not associated with the relevant item (\n \u03c7<\/jats:italic>\n 2<\/jats:sup>\n \u202f=\u202f15.695, df\u202f=\u202f16, raw\n p<\/jats:italic>\n \u202f=\u202f0.474, Bonferroni-adjusted\n p<\/jats:italic>\n \u202f=\u202f1.000). In occupation-based awareness analyses, associations that remained after correction included awareness of environmental pollution, checking snail sources, and trust in vendor hygiene. The regression models explained 14.0% of variance in the socioeconomic-consumption composite, 12.0% in awareness, 23.6% in perceived public-health implications, and 19.9% in policy support. Marital status (B\u202f=\u202f0.258, 95% CI 0.121 to 0.396) and education (B\u202f=\u202f-0.272, 95% CI -0.368 to \u22120.176) were independently associated with the socioeconomic-consumption composite. The socioeconomic-consumption composite was associated with awareness (B\u202f=\u202f0.370, 95% CI 0.250 to 0.489); both socioeconomic-consumption and awareness were associated with perceived public-health implications; and age, education, and perceived public-health implications were associated with policy support.\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n The findings indicate an awareness\u2013practice gap and substantial public support for food-safety interventions. However, these findings reflect consumer perceptions and reported behaviours rather than measured trace-metal contamination or direct exposure among respondents.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1865889","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,10]],"date-time":"2026-09-10T05:31:15Z","timestamp":1789018275000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Socioeconomic determinants, risk perception, and food safety concerns of African Giant snail consumption in Yenagoa Metropolis, Nigeria"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Sylvester Chibueze","family":"Izah","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, Bayelsa Medical University","place":["Yenagoa, Bayelsa, Nigeria"]},{"name":"Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Bayelsa Medical University","place":["Yenagoa, Bayelsa, Nigeria"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tarvie Jacob","family":"Jack","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical Social Work, Faculty of Health Sciences, Bayelsa Medical University","place":["Yenagoa, Bayelsa, Nigeria"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Esther Ugo","family":"Alum","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Research and Publications, Kampala International University, Kampala International University","place":["Kampala, Uganda"]},{"name":"Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Ebonyi State University","place":["Abakaliki, Ebonyi, Nigeria"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Vivian Ibienebakabobo","family":"Promise","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Bayelsa Medical University","place":["Yenagoa, Bayelsa, Nigeria"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Matthew Chidozie","family":"Ogwu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Goodnight Family Department of Sustainable Development, Appalachian State University","place":["Boone, NC, United States"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Irene Nneka","family":"Ohanusi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Hezekiah University","place":["Nkwerre, Nigeria"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,10]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100322","DOI":"10.1016\/j.envc.2021.100322","article-title":"Variations in reference values utilized for the evaluation of complex pollution indices of potentially toxic elements: a critical review","volume":"5","author":"Izah","year":"2021","journal-title":"Environ 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Nigeria","volume":"20","author":"Ahmadu","year":"2021","journal-title":"Agro-Sci"},{"key":"ref30","first-page":"290","article-title":"Studies on microbiological, proximate mineral and heavy metal composition of freshwater snails from Niger Delta creek in Nigeria","volume":"14","author":"Adebayo-Tayo","year":"2011","journal-title":"AU J Technol"},{"key":"ref31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"12","DOI":"10.5897\/JTEHS2025.0526","article-title":"Public health and environmental risk assessment of African giant snails (Achatina fulica) in urban areas of Asaba, Nigeria","volume":"17","author":"Gabriel","year":"2025","journal-title":"J Toxicol Environ Health Sci"},{"key":"ref32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1779695","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1779695","article-title":"Patterns of suya (roasted beef) consumption, awareness of trace metal contamination, and food safety practices among residents of Yenagoa Metropolis, Nigeria","volume":"14","author":"Izah","year":"2026","journal-title":"Front Public Health"},{"key":"ref33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1057","DOI":"10.30919\/esee1057","article-title":"Cronbach\u2019s alpha: a cornerstone in ensuring reliability and validity in environmental health assessment","volume":"23","author":"Izah","year":"2023","journal-title":"ES Energy Environ"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Public 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