Professionals’ perception on nutritional care of adult patients in comprehensive specialized hospitals of East Wollega Zone, Ethiopia
Background Adult patients suffering from malnutrition in hospitals are often overlooked, especially in low-income countries. Health care professionals play a vital role in identifying and managing the nutritional needs of patients. However, their perception regarding the nutritional care of adult pa...
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| Language: | English |
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2025-01-01
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| Series: | BMC Nutrition |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40795-025-01000-w |
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| author | Birtukan Kebede Moti Gudina Egata Atomsa Desalegn Wirtu Tesso |
| author_facet | Birtukan Kebede Moti Gudina Egata Atomsa Desalegn Wirtu Tesso |
| author_sort | Birtukan Kebede Moti |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background Adult patients suffering from malnutrition in hospitals are often overlooked, especially in low-income countries. Health care professionals play a vital role in identifying and managing the nutritional needs of patients. However, their perception regarding the nutritional care of adult patients have not been thoroughly examined. Objective Explore the perceptions of health care professionals on nutritional care and perceived barriers in providing nutritional care for adult patients. Methods A phenomenological qualitative study was conducted, consisting of twenty-two in-depth interviews with purposefully selected health care professionals at comprehensive specialized hospitals from March to May 2024. The interviews were audio-recorded, and field notes were taken. The data were transcribed verbatim and translated into English. A thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Results Two main themes and eight sub-themes were generated. The first theme was Health care professionals’ (HCPs) gaps which include: limited scope in providing nutritional care, not recognizing nutritional care as a routine care, healthcare professionals (HCPs) role on nutrition care and limited knowledge regarding nutritional care. The second theme was challenges and barriers to providing nutritional care which includes: prioritization, lack of emphasis in the health care system, missing collaboration between professionals, and lack of resources allocated to nutritional service. Conclusion Respondents assume that malnutrition may not occur in adult patients; they consider it not to be a problem for adult patients. Providing adequate in-service training to healthcare providers, allocating resources, and considering malnutrition in adult patients as one of the main issues to be integrated in nutritional care as a part of daily treatment are vital. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5cc1290098e746379c322500e8a35129 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2055-0928 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Nutrition |
| spelling | doaj-art-5cc1290098e746379c322500e8a351292025-02-02T12:12:20ZengBMCBMC Nutrition2055-09282025-01-011111910.1186/s40795-025-01000-wProfessionals’ perception on nutritional care of adult patients in comprehensive specialized hospitals of East Wollega Zone, EthiopiaBirtukan Kebede Moti0Gudina Egata Atomsa1Desalegn Wirtu Tesso2Department of Public Health , Institute of Health Sciences, Wollega University, Nekemte TownDepartment of Nutrition & Dietetics , School of Public Health , College of health sciences, Addis Ababa UniversityDepartment of Public Health , Institute of Health Sciences, Wollega University, Nekemte TownBackground Adult patients suffering from malnutrition in hospitals are often overlooked, especially in low-income countries. Health care professionals play a vital role in identifying and managing the nutritional needs of patients. However, their perception regarding the nutritional care of adult patients have not been thoroughly examined. Objective Explore the perceptions of health care professionals on nutritional care and perceived barriers in providing nutritional care for adult patients. Methods A phenomenological qualitative study was conducted, consisting of twenty-two in-depth interviews with purposefully selected health care professionals at comprehensive specialized hospitals from March to May 2024. The interviews were audio-recorded, and field notes were taken. The data were transcribed verbatim and translated into English. A thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Results Two main themes and eight sub-themes were generated. The first theme was Health care professionals’ (HCPs) gaps which include: limited scope in providing nutritional care, not recognizing nutritional care as a routine care, healthcare professionals (HCPs) role on nutrition care and limited knowledge regarding nutritional care. The second theme was challenges and barriers to providing nutritional care which includes: prioritization, lack of emphasis in the health care system, missing collaboration between professionals, and lack of resources allocated to nutritional service. Conclusion Respondents assume that malnutrition may not occur in adult patients; they consider it not to be a problem for adult patients. Providing adequate in-service training to healthcare providers, allocating resources, and considering malnutrition in adult patients as one of the main issues to be integrated in nutritional care as a part of daily treatment are vital.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40795-025-01000-wHealth care professionalsAdult PatientsPerceptionMalnutritionNutritional Care |
| spellingShingle | Birtukan Kebede Moti Gudina Egata Atomsa Desalegn Wirtu Tesso Professionals’ perception on nutritional care of adult patients in comprehensive specialized hospitals of East Wollega Zone, Ethiopia BMC Nutrition Health care professionals Adult Patients Perception Malnutrition Nutritional Care |
| title | Professionals’ perception on nutritional care of adult patients in comprehensive specialized hospitals of East Wollega Zone, Ethiopia |
| title_full | Professionals’ perception on nutritional care of adult patients in comprehensive specialized hospitals of East Wollega Zone, Ethiopia |
| title_fullStr | Professionals’ perception on nutritional care of adult patients in comprehensive specialized hospitals of East Wollega Zone, Ethiopia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Professionals’ perception on nutritional care of adult patients in comprehensive specialized hospitals of East Wollega Zone, Ethiopia |
| title_short | Professionals’ perception on nutritional care of adult patients in comprehensive specialized hospitals of East Wollega Zone, Ethiopia |
| title_sort | professionals perception on nutritional care of adult patients in comprehensive specialized hospitals of east wollega zone ethiopia |
| topic | Health care professionals Adult Patients Perception Malnutrition Nutritional Care |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40795-025-01000-w |
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