BAKCGROUND: To ascertain the health and hygiene-related conditions of school lunchrooms within the municipality of Oviedo by means of conducting a health and hygiene inspection of these facilities. METHOD: A descriptive epidemiological cross-sectional study was made of 24 schools in the municipality of Oviedo, 9 of which were government-subsidized private schools and another 15 of which were public schools, according to information from the Ministry of Education and Science. An inspection was conducted entailing a protocol based on the Public Lunchroom Health and Hygiene Regulations. The variables are the health and hygiene-related conditions of the premises (kitchens, lunchrooms and lavatories), of the utensils, the health of the employees and the conditions of the raw materials and foods. These conditions have been considered to be inadequate or deficient whenever they failed to met the criteria of the protocol in question. RESULTS: The deficiencies found n most of the school lunchrooms inspected were the lack of protection of the lighting components, of window screens to prevent the entry of insects and of soap dispensers which are not hand-operated, disposable paper towels and liquid soap both in kitchens as well as in lavatories. The variables entailed in this study have been compared among public schools and government-subsidized private schools, for which purpose a Student T Test was employed, significant differences having been found to exist between these two types of schools solely in the condition of the kitchens and in the total of the items. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the irregularities found in both the public schools and in the government-subsidized private schools are of an organizational nature and with regard to the facilities stemming from a lack of knowledge of the laws in force. It is deemed advantageous for training in Hygiene to be provided, given the positive attitude shown by those in charge of the schools in question.

FUNDAMENTO: Conocer las condiciones higiénico-sanitarias en las que se encuentran los comedores escolares del municipio de Oviedo, mediante la realización de una inspección higiénico-sanitaria en estas instalaciones. MÉTODO: Se ha realizado un estudio epidemiológico descriptivo transversal en 24 colegios del municipio de Oviedo, 9 concertados y 15 públicos, según información procedente del Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (MEC). Se ha llevado a cabo una inspección con un protocolo basado en la Reglamentación Técnico-Sanitaria de Comedores Colectivos. Las variables son las condiciones higiénico-sanitarias de los locales (cocinas, comedores y servicios higiénicos), del utillaje, condiciones del personal y de las materias primas y alimentos. Se han considerado condiciones inadecuadas o deficiencias cuando no se cumplen los criterios del protocolo. RESULTADOS: Las deficiencias encontradas en la mayoría de los comedores escolares inspeccionados han sido la falta de protección en los elementos de iluminación, de malla antiinsectos en ventanas y lavamanos de accionamiento no manual, toallas de papel de un solo uso y jabón líquido tanto en cocinas como en servicios higiénicos. Se han comparado estadísticamente las variables del estudio entre colegios públicos y concertados, para ello se ha realizado un Test de T de Student obteniéndose diferencias significativas, entre ambos tipos de colegios, solo en el estado de las cocinas y en el total de los ítems. CONCLUSIONES: La mayoría de las anomalías encontradas, tanto en colegios públicos como en concertados, son de carácter estructural y de las instalaciones, originadas por el desconocimiento de la legislación vigente. Se cree conveniente impartir formación en Educación Sanitaria, dada la actitud positiva mostrada por los responsables de los centros educativos.

BAKCGROUND: To ascertain the health and hygiene-related conditions of school lunchrooms within the municipality of Oviedo by means of conducting a health and hygiene inspection of these facilities. METHOD: A descriptive epidemiological cross-sectional study was made of 24 schools in the municipality of Oviedo, 9 of which were government-subsidized private schools and another 15 of which were public schools, according to information from the Ministry of Education and Science. An inspection was conducted entailing a protocol based on the Public Lunchroom Health and Hygiene Regulations. The variables are the health and hygiene-related conditions of the premises (kitchens, lunchrooms and lavatories), of the utensils, the health of the employees and the conditions of the raw materials and foods. These conditions have been considered to be inadequate or deficient whenever they failed to met the criteria of the protocol in question. RESULTS: The deficiencies found n most of the school lunchrooms inspected were the lack of protection of the lighting components, of window screens to prevent the entry of insects and of soap dispensers which are not hand-operated, disposable paper towels and liquid soap both in kitchens as well as in lavatories. The variables entailed in this study have been compared among public schools and government-subsidized private schools, for which purpose a Student T Test was employed, significant differences having been found to exist between these two types of schools solely in the condition of the kitchens and in the total of the items. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the irregularities found in both the public schools and in the government-subsidized private schools are of an organizational nature and with regard to the facilities stemming from a lack of knowledge of the laws in force. It is deemed advantageous for training in Hygiene to be provided, given the positive attitude shown by those in charge of the schools in question.

FUNDAMENTO: Conocer las condiciones higiénico-sanitarias en las que se encuentran los comedores escolares del municipio de Oviedo, mediante la realización de una inspección higiénico-sanitaria en estas instalaciones. MÉTODO: Se ha realizado un estudio epidemiológico descriptivo transversal en 24 colegios del municipio de Oviedo, 9 concertados y 15 públicos, según información procedente del Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (MEC). Se ha llevado a cabo una inspección con un protocolo basado en la Reglamentación Técnico-Sanitaria de Comedores Colectivos. Las variables son las condiciones higiénico-sanitarias de los locales (cocinas, comedores y servicios higiénicos), del utillaje, condiciones del personal y de las materias primas y alimentos. Se han considerado condiciones inadecuadas o deficiencias cuando no se cumplen los criterios del protocolo. RESULTADOS: Las deficiencias encontradas en la mayoría de los comedores escolares inspeccionados han sido la falta de protección en los elementos de iluminación, de malla antiinsectos en ventanas y lavamanos de accionamiento no manual, toallas de papel de un solo uso y jabón líquido tanto en cocinas como en servicios higiénicos. Se han comparado estadísticamente las variables del estudio entre colegios públicos y concertados, para ello se ha realizado un Test de T de Student obteniéndose diferencias significativas, entre ambos tipos de colegios, solo en el estado de las cocinas y en el total de los ítems. CONCLUSIONES: La mayoría de las anomalías encontradas, tanto en colegios públicos como en concertados, son de carácter estructural y de las instalaciones, originadas por el desconocimiento de la legislación vigente. Se cree conveniente impartir formación en Educación Sanitaria, dada la actitud positiva mostrada por los responsables de los centros educativos.