Providing Nutrition Care to Patients with Chronic Disease: An Irish Teaching Hospital Healthcare Professional Study
Year: 2018
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: An increasing prevalence of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and chronic illness is putting an ever increasing burden on healthcare services and delivery worldwide. Diet contributes significantly to the development of NCDs. Nutrition should therefore be viewed as an important aspect of patient care and be addressed by all healthcare professionals (HCPs). Previous work has highlighted a lack of competency around providing nutrition advice in HCPs; however, positive attitudes towards the importance of nutrition care are well documented in this group. The aim of this study is to document and compare Irish HCPs self-perceived competency towards incorporating nutrition care into practice. The NUTCOMP questionnaire was completed by 206 HCPs in Sligo University Hospital. The findings showed positive attitudes towards the incorporation of nutrition care into HCP practice; however, confidence in knowledge and skills was low, thus missing vital opportunities to prevent and/or treat chronic diseases and improve outcomes in acute illness. Previous nutrition education was associated with greater self-perceived knowledge about and skills in providing nutrition care to patients and positively associated with attitudes towards incorporating nutrition care into practice. HCPs expressed a desire and unmet need for additional and ongoing educational intervention in the area of nutritional intervention.
Source: Journal of Biomedical Education
DOI: 10.1155/2018/1657624
Authors: Laura Keaver, Ciara O’Meara, Mohsin Mukhtar, Catherine McHugh
Institutions: Institute of Technology Sligo, Sligo University Hospital
Language: English
Subfield: Health Information Management
Field: Health Professions
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W2887809397