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Journal of The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners
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RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)
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Nutrition care provided to patients discharged from hospital post alcohol withdrawal: a mixed methods study

Cameron McLean https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6636-737X 1 2 * , Linda Tapsell 2 , Hannah Mozejko 2 , Sara Grafenauer 3 , Anne-Therese McMahon 2
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- Author Affiliations

1 Nutrition and Dietetics Department, St George Hospital, Gray Street, Kogarah, NSW 2217, Australia.

2 School of Medical, Indigenous and Health Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2500, Australia.

3 School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW 2033, Australia.

* Correspondence to: cameron.mclean@health.nsw.gov.au

Handling Editor: Felicity Goodyear-Smith

Journal of Primary Health Care https://doi.org/10.1071/HC24142
Submitted: 12 September 2024  Accepted: 7 January 2025  Published: 28 January 2025

© 2025 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)

Abstract

Introduction

Patients discharged from hospital following alcohol withdrawal may require follow up of chronic nutrition concerns such as malnutrition and micronutrient deficiency. There is little known about the nutrition care provided in the primary healthcare setting supporting patients discharged from hospital.

Aim

The aim of this study was to explore the nutrition care provided across New South Wales for patients discharged post alcohol withdrawal.

Methods

A survey was distributed to all Primary Health Networks (PHNs) in New South Wales (NSW) and included participant demographics, information regarding participant confidence providing nutrition care and the types of care provided in this setting. Survey participants were also invited to undertake a semi-structured interview to explore hospital discharge processes using case studies. Survey responses were descriptively analysed and all data provided were utilised, even if incomplete. Qualitative data were thematically analysed and a description provided.

Results

Of the 37 survey responses, 15 were fully completed with 41.1% of respondents rating themselves as confident to very confident to provide nutrition-related care. Four respondents participated in the follow-on interviews. Three themes emerged: the importance of person-centred and collaborative approaches; barriers to accessing nutrition services; and the impact of COVID-19 on discharge care.

Conclusions

The level of reported confidence was variable among healthcare professionals providing nutrition care to patients discharged from hospital post alcohol withdrawal. This may represent a gap in service provision, implicating the need for advocacy on nutrition care following alcohol withdrawal.

Keywords: alcohol, alcohol withdrawal, dietitian, hospital, malnutrition, nutrition, primary care, primary health network.

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