General practitioners’ views on providing nutrition care to patients with chronic disease: a focus group study
Jennifer Crowley 1 , Lauren Ball 2 , Anne-Thea McGill 3 , Stephen Buetow 3 , Bruce Arroll 3 , Michael Leveritt 4 , Clare Wall 11 Discipline of Nutrition, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, New Zealand
2 Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Qld 4222, Australia
3 Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, New Zealand
4 School of Human Movement Studies, University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia
Correspondence to: Jennifer Crowley, School of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand. Email: j.crowley@auckland.ac.nz
Journal of Primary Health Care 8(4) 357-364 https://doi.org/10.1071/HC15048
Published: 21 December 2016
Journal Compilation © Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners 2016.
This is an open access article licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Nutrition care refers to practices conducted by health professionals to support patients to improve their dietary intake. General practitioners (GPs) are expected to provide nutrition care to patients for prevention and management of chronic disease.
AIM: This study explores GPs’ opinions regarding nutrition care provision to patients with chronic disease.
METHODS: An interpretive descriptive approach to qualitative research using seven semi-structured focus groups with 48 GPs in Auckland was used. Focus groups investigated how GPs felt about providing nutrition care; the perceived barriers to and support required for this care; the development of further nutrition knowledge and skills; and possible roles for Practice Nurses. Recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using a thematic approach.
RESULTS: GPs indicated routine provision of basic nutrition care to patients with chronic disease, but perceived their limited consultation time and nutrition competence constrained their capacity to provide nutrition care. GPs felt they needed further information to provide culturally, socially and economically sensitive nutrition care. GPs displayed variable opinions on the benefits of developing their nutrition knowledge and skills, and the idea of Practice Nurses providing nutrition care.
CONCLUSIONS: Despite perceiving that nutrition care is important for patients with chronic disease and facing barriers to providing nutrition care, GPs appear reluctant to further develop their knowledge and skills and for Practice Nurses to provide this care. Strategies to enhance GPs’ nutrition-related self-efficacy, nutrition cultural competence and attitudes towards further training care may be warranted.
KEYWORDS: General practitioner; medical education; counselling; nutrition therapy; competence; attitude
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