The Indian Journal of Nutrition and Dietetics

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

Doctors as a Part of Nutrition Care of Patients (Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir)


Affiliations
1 Department of Food and Nutrition, Lady Irwin College, University of Delhi, Delhi - 110 001, India
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


Doctor’s main role and prior responsibility is medical treatment of patients. Doctors can also share their expertise in nutrition care of patients in hospitals. Optimum nutrition affects both the response to medical treatments and eventually recovery. Doctors are usually perceived as the best source of information, by patients. In addition, they must provide some nutrition information to patients, in order to provide good care to patients. Doctors can motivate patients to eat healthy and also guide patients for dietary modifications to help in recovery. The present study, exploratory in nature, was carried out in Srinagar to have an insight and know the role and perspective in patient care especially in context of nutrition services, in the hospitals. The objective of the study was to investigate about if doctors were a part of nutrition care. Study sample consisted of 62 doctors, representing 2% from each hospital. Data was gathered using an interview schedule followed by observation and discussion with doctors. A scoring pattern was formed to evaluate doctor’s perspective and their role in nutrition care of patients. Data was collected from 11 hospitals which provided nutrition services to patients which were included in the study. It was seen that doctors appeared to have a minimal role and little awareness of the assessment of nutritional needs of patients. Doctors reported that they briefly discussed the diet with some of their patients. Nutritional assessment was not done during the patients hospital stay. Their interaction with dietitians was also not adequate about patients nutrition care. It was concluded that there was a need to increase the awareness of doctors about the importance of nutrition care of patients. However what was encouraging was the response of the doctors towards the need for dietitians, providing a balanced diet and nutrition counselling, perhaps indicating some realization that dietitians were required for improving nutrition care of patients.

Keywords

Hospital, Doctors, Nutrition Care, Patients, Balanced Diet.
User
Notifications

  • Mogre, V., Scherpbier, A.J., Stevens, F., et al. Realist synthesis of educational interventions to improve nutrition care competencies and delivery by doctors and other healthcare professionals. British Med. J. Open., 2016, 6, 10084.

  • Ball, L., Desbrow, B. and Leveritt, M. An exploration of individuals’ preferences for nutrition care from Australian primary care health professionals. Aus. J. Primary Health., 2014, 20, 113-120.

  • Walker, R., Blumfield, M. and Truby, H. Beliefs and advice seeking behaviors for fertility and pregnancy: A cross sectional study of a global sample. J. Human Nutr. Diet., (in press), 2018.

  • Ball, L., Hughes, R.M. and Leveritt, M.D. Nutrition in general practice : role and workforce preparation expectations of medical educators. Aus. J. Primary Health., 2010, 16, 304-310.

  • Kolasa, K.M. and Rickett, K. Barriers to providing nutrition counselling cited by physicians: A survey of primary care practitioners. Nutr. Clini. Prac., 2010, 25, 502-509.

  • Mitchell, L.J., MacDonald Wicks, L. and Capra, S. Nutrition advice in general practice: the role of general practitioners and practice nurses. Aus. J. Primary Health., 2011, 17, 202–208.

  • Crowley, J., Ball, L., Han, D.Y., et al. Doctors’ attitudes and confidence towards providing nutrition care in practice: comparison of New Zealand medical students, general practice registrars and general practitioners. J. Primary Health Care, 2015, 7, 244-250.

  • Kent, F. and Maddock, B. Development of a Collaborative Care Curriculum ANZAHPE 2017 Australian and New Zealand Association for Health Professional Educators 2017 Conference, Adelaide, Australia, 11/07/17 14/07/17, 2017, 39 40.

  • Rüfenacht, U., Rühlin, M., Wegmann, M., Imoberdorf, R. and Ballmer, P.E. Nutritional counselling improves quality of life and nutrient intake in hospitalized undernourished patients. Nutr., 2010, 26, 53-60.

  • Barker, L.A., Gout, B.S. and Crowe, T.C., Hospital malnutrition: prevalence, identification and impact on patients and the healthcare system, Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health. 2011, 8, 514–527.

  • Keller, H.H., Vesnaver, E., Davidson, B., et al., Providing quality nutrition care in acute care hospitals: perspectives of nutrition care personnel. J. Human Nutr. Diet., 2014, 27, 192–202.

  • Mowe, M., Bosaeus, I., Hojgaard, H. and Kondrup, J. Insufficient nutritional knowledge among health care workers? Clin. Nutr., 2008, 27, 196-202.

  • Ozcelik, A.O., Surucuoglu, M.S. and Akan, L.S. Survey on the nutrition knowledge level of Turkish physician: Ankara as a sample. Pak. J. Nutr., 2007, 6, 538-542.

  • Temple, N.J. Survey of nutrition knowledge of Canadian physicians. J. Am. College of Nutr., 1999, 18, 26-29.

  • Al- Numair, K.S. Nutrition knowledge of primary care physician in Saudi Arabia. J. Nutr., 2004, 3, 344-347.

  • Saroj, B. Issues in feeding the terminally ill patient. Ind. Diet. Assoc., 1989, 22, 46-62.

  • Royal College of Physicians of London. Nutrition and patients. A doctor’s responsibility. RCP Bookshop Publications 2002, 97.


Abstract Views: 412

PDF Views: 1




  • Doctors as a Part of Nutrition Care of Patients (Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir)

Abstract Views: 412  |  PDF Views: 1

Authors

Nayera Masoodi
Department of Food and Nutrition, Lady Irwin College, University of Delhi, Delhi - 110 001, India
Veenu Seth
Department of Food and Nutrition, Lady Irwin College, University of Delhi, Delhi - 110 001, India
Kalyani Singh
Department of Food and Nutrition, Lady Irwin College, University of Delhi, Delhi - 110 001, India

Abstract


Doctor’s main role and prior responsibility is medical treatment of patients. Doctors can also share their expertise in nutrition care of patients in hospitals. Optimum nutrition affects both the response to medical treatments and eventually recovery. Doctors are usually perceived as the best source of information, by patients. In addition, they must provide some nutrition information to patients, in order to provide good care to patients. Doctors can motivate patients to eat healthy and also guide patients for dietary modifications to help in recovery. The present study, exploratory in nature, was carried out in Srinagar to have an insight and know the role and perspective in patient care especially in context of nutrition services, in the hospitals. The objective of the study was to investigate about if doctors were a part of nutrition care. Study sample consisted of 62 doctors, representing 2% from each hospital. Data was gathered using an interview schedule followed by observation and discussion with doctors. A scoring pattern was formed to evaluate doctor’s perspective and their role in nutrition care of patients. Data was collected from 11 hospitals which provided nutrition services to patients which were included in the study. It was seen that doctors appeared to have a minimal role and little awareness of the assessment of nutritional needs of patients. Doctors reported that they briefly discussed the diet with some of their patients. Nutritional assessment was not done during the patients hospital stay. Their interaction with dietitians was also not adequate about patients nutrition care. It was concluded that there was a need to increase the awareness of doctors about the importance of nutrition care of patients. However what was encouraging was the response of the doctors towards the need for dietitians, providing a balanced diet and nutrition counselling, perhaps indicating some realization that dietitians were required for improving nutrition care of patients.

Keywords


Hospital, Doctors, Nutrition Care, Patients, Balanced Diet.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.21048/ijnd.2019.56.2.22980