Objective: This study aimed to: 1) describe the current state of research activity/involvement and capacity among selected tertiary level government and private hospital dietitians; 2) identify factors associated with research capacity and involvement; and 3) develop policy recommendations to improve the current research activity/involvement towards evidence-based practice among hospital dietitians.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study. A total of randomly selected 181 hospital dietitians from selected hospitals in Metro Manila completed a pre-tested structured self-administered questionnaire, which elicited the socio-demographic characteristics, research activity/involvement, research capacity, perception, attitude and knowledge (PAK) of the respondents.

Descriptive statistics were generated. Pearson Correlation was determined between socio-demographic characteristics and research activity/involvement score and research capacity score. Linear multiple regression analysis was conducted to test whether perceptions, attitudes and knowledge score are factors that predicted research activity/involvement and research capacity.

Results: No significant difference was observed in hospital dietitians' research capacity scores based on gender, age, educational attainment, hospital affiliation, and job description. Majority (97%) of the hospital dietitians had very little participation (10%) or involvement in any type of research activity/involvement. The significant factors that were predictive of research activity/involvement scores and research capacity scores were percent of time for research and hours per week devoted to research, respectively. Percent of time for research was significantly predictive of research knowledge of respondents.

Conclusion: The findings in this present study showed the research activity/involvement and capacity of hospital dietitians in Metro Manila were dismally low. The significant factors that were predictive of research activity/involvement scores and research capacity scores were percent of time for research and hours per week devoted to research, respectively. To support the development of research capacity and involvement of hospital dietitians, policy-makers and healthcare organizations can optimize capability-building strategies at the academic level, hospital dietitian level, and institutional level.

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the extent to which implementation of student participation programs in serving school meals impacts student perception and satisfaction with school foodservice in middle and high school settings. METHODS: Students' perception of management and satisfaction with quality attributes of school foodservice were assessed by questionnaire methods and compared by the program implementation status of student participation in serving school meals. Correlation and multiple regression analyses were performed to identify factors affecting perception and satisfaction. RESULTS: The overall mean score for perception regarding the management of school foodservice was low (3.53 out of 10 points) and middle school students showed a higher mean score than high school students (4.10 vs. 2.94 points). In both middle and high schools, student perception was significantly higher in schools implementing the program. The average score for student satisfaction with the quality of school foodservice was 3.50 out of 5 points. Similarly, we observed a significantly higher satisfaction among middle versus high school students (3.93 vs. 3.04 points) and in schools implementing the program versus those that were not. Overall, student participation in serving school meals resulted in increases in satisfaction with school foodservice of 0.269 and 0.466 points among middle and high school students, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of student participation in serving school meals could be used as a strategy to improve perception and satisfaction of students with their school foodservice. Establishment of guidelines of student serving participation programs encompassing different perspectives from students, dietitians and school faculties are warranted.
Humans ; Meals ; Nutritionists

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the extent to which implementation of student participation programs in serving school meals impacts student perception and satisfaction with school foodservice in middle and high school settings. METHODS: Students' perception of management and satisfaction with quality attributes of school foodservice were assessed by questionnaire methods and compared by the program implementation status of student participation in serving school meals. Correlation and multiple regression analyses were performed to identify factors affecting perception and satisfaction. RESULTS: The overall mean score for perception regarding the management of school foodservice was low (3.53 out of 10 points) and middle school students showed a higher mean score than high school students (4.10 vs. 2.94 points). In both middle and high schools, student perception was significantly higher in schools implementing the program. The average score for student satisfaction with the quality of school foodservice was 3.50 out of 5 points. Similarly, we observed a significantly higher satisfaction among middle versus high school students (3.93 vs. 3.04 points) and in schools implementing the program versus those that were not. Overall, student participation in serving school meals resulted in increases in satisfaction with school foodservice of 0.269 and 0.466 points among middle and high school students, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of student participation in serving school meals could be used as a strategy to improve perception and satisfaction of students with their school foodservice. Establishment of guidelines of student serving participation programs encompassing different perspectives from students, dietitians and school faculties are warranted.
Humans ; Meals ; Nutritionists

Background and Objective: The Nutrition Care Process (NCP) is a systematic method used by dietitians to provide high-quality nutrition care resulting in good patient outcomes. This study aimed to assess the NCP implementation and use of NCP Terminologies (NCPT) among hospital dietitians in the Philippines. Specifically, the study aimed at assessing the knowledge, perception, and practices on NCP and use of NCPT and correlate them with the dietitians' education, and professional and employment profile; and explain the barriers and facilitators of the practice of NCP and use of NCPT among hospital dietitians in the Philippines. Methods: The knowledge, perception, and practices (KPP) on NCP and NCPT of the dietitians employed in the Philippine Department of Health’s licensed level 3 hospitals were determined using a validated questionnaire. Significant factors associated with the KPP were also determined. The barriers and facilitators of the practice of NCP and NCPT were determined using focus group discussion and key informant interviews of chief clinical dietitians and hospital administrators, respectively. Results: The study revealed that majority of the participants had a high level of knowledge on NCP and NCPT, positively perceived its implementation, and more than half of them implement NCP and NCPT in the hospitals. The participants’ knowledge on NCP and NCPT was significantly associated with research involvement and active membership in a professional organization. While the practice of NCP and NCPT was significantly associated with having NCP-related trainings, frequency of trainings, and active membership in a professional organization. The barriers to NCP implementation were insufficient resources; lack of orientation, trainings, and support; organizational and administrative constraints; pandemic constraints; insufficient time; and lack of confidence to conduct NCP. While the facilitators of implementation were collaboration, dedication, and commitment of the healthcare team; institutionalization of NCP laws and policies; budget allocation for NCP-related activities; monitoring and consistency of NCP implementation; and work schedule. Conclusion The findings suggest that the implementation of NCP and NCPT in the Philippines needs further support from the institution, professional organizations, and policy makers by developing strategies to cope with the barriers, and strengthen the facilitators and factors associated with practice.
Nutritionists ; Surveys and Questionnaires

This study was conducted as a part of project developing the standards of the national board test for dietitian's licences. The purpose of this study was to define the job specification for dietitian's job description based on the knowledge, skill, attitude and related to the curriculum. The study team established the research team which composed of 11 person(7 professor in the university and 4 dietitians in hospitals, schools and private firms). The job description composed of 17 duties, 99 tasks and 576 task elements. For each element, the job specifications are written, which composed of introduction, process, required equipments, and required ability. Required ability included knowledge, skill and attitudes. The relations of the knowledge, skill and attitudes with the possible curriculum currently operated in the college or university were analyzed, also. Job specifications for 576 task elements are analyzed and framed.
Curriculum ; Humans ; Job Description* ; Nutritionists

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of job stress on job satisfaction according to interpersonal relationship type among school dieticians and nutrition teachers. The online survey was conducted from Oct. 26th to Nov. 7th, 2017 in 2,000 randomly selected dieticians and nutrition teachers in the capital area. A total of 453 collected questionnaires were used for analysis. SPSS v.21.0 Statistical Package Program was used for the statistical process. For the results regarding interpersonal relationship type of dieticians, open-type (73.3%) was the highest, followed by self-assertive-type (23.0%), isolated-type (2.6%), and careful-type (1.1%). Regarding overall job satisfaction, ‘human relation’ was the highest, followed by ‘job itself’, ‘working environment’, and ‘personal rating & welfare system’, in that order. According to interpersonal relationship type, in the case of ‘open-type’ or ‘careful-type’, job satisfaction was relatively high. Regarding overall job stress, ‘job demand’ was the highest, followed by ‘lack of reward’, ‘organizational system’, ‘interpersonal conflict’, ‘occupational climate’, ‘job insecurity’, and ‘insufficient job control’, in that order. In accordance with interpersonal relationship type, overall job stress index was high in terms of ‘self-assertive-type’ or ‘careful-type’. For the results of analyzing the correlation between job satisfaction and job stress index, all areas showed statistically significant negative correlations. Multiple regression analysis was performed to study the effects of job stress on job satisfaction mediating interpersonal relationship type. Job stress had different effects on job satisfaction in terms of ‘open-type’ and ‘self-assertive type’. In conclusion, different strategies are needed for dieticians with different interpersonal relationship types to improve job satisfaction and to reduce job stress.
Humans ; Job Satisfaction ; Negotiating ; Nutritionists

BACKGROUND: This study was performed to compare the effectiveness of cholesterol-lowering diet therapy instructed by physicians with that instructed by dieticians using techniques that remove regression to the mean. METHODS: 118 patients who visited the office of Family Medicine department in Pusan Paik Hospital from February to November, 1996 and had serum total cholesterol(TC) concentrations greater or equal to 200mg/dL from two measurements were enrolled. The patients were divided into two groups randomly according to the cholesterol-lowering dietary education methods : the one was educated by physicians(Group I), and the other by dieticians(Group II). We evaluated the differences of lipid levels after education in consideration of regression to the mean. RESULTS: The mean reduction in TC concentrations achieved by dietary therapy was 10.7 % and 7.3%(without and with adjustment for regression to the mean) in Group I, and 9.8 and 6.5%(without and with adjustment, for regression to the mean) in Group II. The baseline TC concentrations and TC concentrations after dietary therapy were significantly different in individual group regardless of adjustment for regression to the mean. However, the reduction degrees of TC concentrations were not significantly different between two groups. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that even after adjustment for regression to the mean, dietary therapy will achieve the expected reduction. And it seems that the diet education by physicians will be effective as much as that by dieticians.
Busan ; Diet Therapy ; Diet* ; Education ; Humans ; Nutritionists*

College and university foodservice dietitians have to be competent for playing a role as the future food service executive as well as the present foodservice administrator in the promising foodservice industry field. The study conducted a survey to examine training needs corresponding to educational contents for the purpose of helping them acquire a new knowledge related to self-development and duty through educational training. The results of this study suggested that training needs were differed by general characteristics of dietitians, operational characteristics of food services, and training subjects. A future study should develop systematic training strategies for dietitians.
Administrative Personnel ; Food Services ; Humans ; Nutritionists*

This survey was conducted in February 24, 1999, in order to investigate the nutritional knowledge and dietary attitude of the school dietitians working in Kyungnam area. Subjects consisted of 305 school dietitians of which 163 married and 141 unmarried. The results obtained are summarized as follows : The average nutritional knowledge score was 10.50 out of possible 15 points, and dietary attitude score was 69.36 out of 100 points. Most of the subjects belonged to "Fair" group in terms of nutritional knowledge and dietary attitude level. Married dietitians scored significantly higher on dietary attitudes than unmarried dietitians (p<0.05). The correlation between nutritional knowledge score and dietary attitude score was not statistically significant(r=0.107)
Gyeongsangnam-do* ; Humans ; Nutritionists* ; Single Person

This study was conducted to evaluate applicability of job standards for diabetes nutrition management by hospital clinical dietitians. In order to promote the clinical nutrition services, it is necessary to present job standards of clinical dietitian and to actively apply these standardized tasks to the medical institution sites. The job standard of clinical dietitians for diabetic nutrition management was distributed to hospitals over 300 beds. Questionnaire was collected from 96 clinical dietitians of 40 tertiary hospitals, 47 general hospitals, and 9 hospitals. Based on each 5-point scale, the importance of overall duty was 4.4 ± 0.5, performance was 3.6 ± 0.8, and difficulty was 3.1 ± 0.7. ‘Nutrition intervention’ was 4.5 ± 0.5 for task importance, ‘nutrition assessment’ was 4.0 ± 0.7 for performance, and ‘nutrition diagnosis’ was 3.4 ± 0.9 for difficulty. These 3 items were high in each category. Based on the grid diagram, the tasks of both high importance and high performance were ‘checking basic information,’‘checking medical history and therapy plan,’‘decision of nutritional needs,’‘supply of foods and nutrients,’ and ‘education of nutrition and self-management.’ The tasks with high importance but low performance were ‘derivation of nutrition diagnosis,’‘planning of nutrition intervention,’‘monitoring of nutrition intervention process.’ The tasks of both high importance and high difficulty were ‘derivation of nutrition diagnosis,’‘planning of nutrition intervention,’‘supply of foods and nutrients,’‘education of nutrition and self-management,’ and ‘monitoring of nutrition intervention process.’ The tasks of both high performance and high difficulty were ‘documentation of nutrition assessment,’‘supply of foods and nutrients,’ and ‘education of nutrition and self-management.’
Hospitals, General ; Nutritionists* ; Tertiary Care Centers