Evaluation of Dietitian Counselling Access Revealed Reduced Pediatrician-Reported Hospital Admissions and Increased Parental Knowledge and Confidence

Can J Diet Pract Res. 2017 Jun 1;78(2):81-85. doi: 10.3148/cjdpr-2016-036. Epub 2017 Feb 1.

Abstract

Based on a 1999 needs assessment a pediatric community-based outpatient dietitian counselling service was created. By 2010 annual referrals had grown to almost 1500 (62% from physicians; 38% from public health nurses). An evaluation was undertaken to gather perspectives of practitioners and parents about access, satisfaction, referral practices, and changes in knowledge, attitudes, behaviour, and child well-being. Health professionals surveyed via email were 62 pediatricians (response rate 71%), 25 family physicians (21%), 87 public health nurses (31%), and 7 dietitian providers (100%). Parents (n = 93, response rate 75% of those contacted) were interviewed by telephone. Pediatricians reported a significantly lower rate of 7% (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.8%-23%) for admitting children to hospital to access a dietitian, compared to 1999 of 39% (95% CI, 22%-59%) (P = 0.005). Health professionals reported a high degree of agreement on benefits of the service to their practice and on child health problems and a high degree of satisfaction with the service. Parents reported gaining knowledge (76%), confidence (93%), and making behaviour changes in foods offered (77%). Our evaluation demonstrated health practitioners saw a need for access to dietitians for pediatric dietitian counselling and parents reported more confidence and improved child feeding practices after dietitian counselling.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

  • Child
  • Child Nutrition Disorders / therapy*
  • Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
  • Child, Preschool
  • Counseling*
  • Diet
  • Feeding Behavior
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice*
  • Hospitalization / statistics & numerical data
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Nutritionists*
  • Parents / psychology*
  • Pediatricians
  • Pediatrics*
  • Referral and Consultation / statistics & numerical data