May N Al-Muammar
King Saud University, Saudi Arabia
Title: Predictors of physicians’ practices related to nutritional counseling and management in Riyadh City
Biography
Biography: May N Al-Muammar
Abstract
Background: A growing interest has become increasing in the role of physicians as eff ective resources for the promotion of good nutritional practices, however, the factors that impede their Nutritional Counseling & Management practice (NC&M) are not clearly understood in Saudi Arabia. Objectives: Th e objectives of the study were to investigate physicians’ practices concerning NC&M and to explore some determinants that predict such practices. Results: Data of 266 physicians working in big hospitals in Riyadh showed that only 7.9% of the respondents reported that they were practicing all aspects of NC&M; including nutritional assessment, therapy, and education. Th ose who practiced any one of these aspects ranged between 13.9–40.2%, meanwhile, 28% frankly reported that they did not practice NC&M. Physicians attitude and perceived effi cacy towards NC&M was moderately high as the mean scores were greater than their midpoint. Th eir perceived barriers of NC&M were considerably moderate; as the mean total score was found to be near the midpoint of that scale. Among the seven independent variables entered the binary logistic regression of physicians practice of NC&M, only the knowledge, attitude, and selfeffi cacy scores were signifi cantly associated with their NC&M practice. Th ese three predictors contributed by 23.5% of the variation of physician practice of NC&M. Conclusions: Physicians knowledge, self-effi cacy, attitudes and other factors should be stressed in any intervention warranted to improve their nutritional practices
