Online Education Improves Canadian Dietitians’ Attitudes and Knowledge Regarding Recommending and Ordering Multivitamin/Mineral Supplements

Publication: Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research
15 August 2014

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the attitudes and knowledge of Fraser Health registered dietitians (RDs) regarding recommending and ordering multivitamin/mineral supplements prior to and following an online education module.
Methods: The educational intervention consisted of narrated slides with electronic resources. After undergoing external review for face and content validity, 6 attitude questions and a 15-item knowledge test were administered pre- and postintervention. The attitude questionnaire utilized a 5-point Likert scale and had a maximum summative score of 30 points. The knowledge test was worth a maximum of 15 points.
Results: Of the eligible RDs (n = 123), 57 (46.3%) completed the study and 55 participants were included in the final analyses. Summative attitude scores were higher on the post-intervention questionnaire compared with the preintervention questionnaire (t = 92.5, P < 0.001). The proportion of correctly answered knowledge questions pre- (78.0% ± 10.0%) to postintervention (mean = 87.4% ± 6.0%) increased significantly (t = 7.16, P < 0.001).
Conclusions: Postintervention, RD attitudes and knowledge improved confirming that the education strategy was effective. Future work should focus on optimizing the module and knowledge questions.

Résumé

Objectif. Évaluer les attitudes et connaissances des diététistes de Fraser Health concernant la recommandation et la commande de suppléments multivitaminiques/minéraux avant et après la participation à un module de formation en ligne.
Méthodes. L'intervention éducative était composée de diapositives commentées et de ressources électroniques. Après avoir été soumis à une révision externe dans le but d'en vérifier la validité apparente et la validité de contenu, 6 questions ayant trait aux attitudes et un test de connaissances comportant 15 éléments ont été utilisés avant et après l'intervention. Le questionnaire d'attitudes faisait appel à une échelle de Likert à 5 points et avait un score cumulatif maximal de 30 points. Le test de connaissances comptait pour un maximum de 15 points.
Résultats. Parmi les diététistes admissibles (n = 123), 57 (46,3 %) ont participé à l’étude, et 55 ont été inclus dans les analyses finales. Les scores cumulatifs relatifs aux attitudes étaient plus élevés dans le questionnaire post-intervention que dans le questionnaire préintervention (t = 92,5; P < 0,001). La proportion de réponses exactes aux questions en lien avec les connaissances (78,0 % ± 10,0 % avant l'intervention) a augmenté considérablement (t = 7,16; P < 0,001) après l'intervention (moyenne = 87,4 % ± 6,0 %).
Conclusions. Après l'intervention, les attitudes et connaissances des diététistes ont connu une amélioration, ce qui confirme l'efficacité de la stratégie d’éducation. Les travaux futurs devraient être axés sur l'optimisation du module et des questions relatives aux connaissances.

Get full access to this article

View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.

References

1
Marra MV and Boyar AP Position of the American Dietetic Association: Nutrient supplementation J Am Diet Assoc. 2009 109 12 2073 -85
2
Balluz L, Kieszak S, Philen R, and Mulinare J Vitamin and mineral supplement use in the United States Arch Fam Med. 2009 9 258 -62
3
Ipsos Reid. Natural health product tracking survey – 2010 Final Report [cited 2013 Oct 23]. Available from: http://epe.lac-bac.gc.ca/100/200/301/pwgsc-tpsgc/por-ef/health/2011/135-09/report.pdf.
4
Shakur YA, Tarasuk V, Corey P, and O'Connor DL A comparison of micronutrient inadequacy and risk of high micronutrient intakes among vitamin and mineral supplement users and nonusers in Canada J Nutr. 2012 142 3 534 -40
5
Mursu J, Robien K, Harnack L, Park K, and Jacobs DR Jr Dietary supplements and mortality rate in older women: the Iowa Women's Health Study Arch Intern Med. 2011 171 18 1625 -33
6
Virtamo J, Pietinen P, Huttunen JK, Korhonen P, Malila N, Virtanen MJ, et al. Incidence of cancer and mortality following alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene supplementation: a post-intervention follow-up JAMA. 2003 290 4 476 -85
7
Mason P Symposium 8: drugs and nutrition important drug-nutrient interactions Proc Nutr Soc. 2010 69 4 551 -7
8
Melhus H, Michaelsson K, Kindmark A, Bergstrom R, Holmberg L, Mallmin H, et al. Excessive dietary intake of vitamin A is associated with reduced bone mineral density and increased risk for hip fracture Ann Intern Med. 1998 129 10 770 -8
9
Hetherwick C, Morris MN, and Silliman K Perceived knowledge, attitudes, and practices of California registered dietitians regarding dietary supplements J Am Diet Assoc. 2006 106 3 438 -42
10
Course Catalogue Registration System; 2008 [cited 2013 Oct 23]. Available from: https://ccrs.vch.ca/Default.aspx.
11
Touger-Decker R and Thomson CA Complementary and alternative medicine: competencies for dietetics professionals J Am Diet Assoc. 2003 103 11 1465 -9
12
American Dietetic Association. International Dietetics & Nutrition Terminology (IDNT) Reference Manual. 3rd ed. Chicago, IL: American Dietetic Association; 2011.
13
The Partnership for Dietetic Education and Practice. The Integrated Competencies for Dietetic Education and Practice; 2012 [cited 2013 Oct 23]. Available from: http://www.pdep.ca/files/ICDEP_-_Report-_March_2012.pdf.
14
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Nutrition Care Process; 2013 [cited 2013 Oct 23]. Available from: http://www.eatright.org/HealthProfessionals/content.aspx?id=7077.
15
Byham-Gray LD, Gilbride JA, Dixon LB, and Stage FK Predictors for research involvement among registered dietitians J Am Diet Assoc. 2006 106 12 2008 -15
16
Wildish DE An evidence-based approach for dietitian prescription of multiple vitamins with minerals J Am Diet Assoc. 2004 May 104 5 779 -86
17
Glanville T. Dietitians of Canada Learning on Demand. Dietary supplements - vitamin and mineral supplements [cited 2013 Nov 10] Available from: http://www.dietitians.ca/Knowledge-Center/Learning-On-Demand/Learning-On-Demand-Store/lodStoreProduct.aspx?guid=516d04e7-c0cb-419e-bd5e-82bdb57675cf.
18
Dietitians of Canada. The dietitian workforce in Canada: meta-analysis report; 2011 [cited 2013 Oct 23]. Available from: http://www.dietitians.ca/Downloadable-Content/Public/Workforce-Meta-Analysis-Report-English-pdf.aspx.
19
Fraser Health: Health Business Analytics. Inpatient Statistics - Excludes Obstetrics Delivered & Newborns. Fiscal Period: April 1, 2011 – March 31, 2012; May 2012.
20
Loya AM, Gonzalez-Stuart A, and Rivera JO Prevalence of polypharmacy, polyherbacy, nutritional supplement use and potential product interactions among older adults living on the United States–Mexico border: a descriptive, questionnaire-based study Drugs Aging. 2009 26 5 423 -36
21
Milton JC, Hill-Smith I, and Jackson SH Prescribing for older people BMJ. 2008 336 7644 606 -9
22
Betteridge TM, Frampton CM, and Jardine DL Polypharmacy — we make it worse! A cross-sectional study from an acute admissions unit Intern Med J. 2012 42 2 208 -11
23
Bailey RL, Gahche JJ, Lentino CV, Dwyer JT, Engel JS, Thomas PR, et al. Dietary supplement use in the United States, 2003–2006 J Nutr. 2011 141 2 261 -6
24
Vatanparast H, Adolphe J, and Whiting SJ Socio-economic status and vitamin/mineral supplement use in Canada Statistics Canada, Health Reports. 2010 21 4 [cited 2013 Oct 23]. Available from: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-003-x/2010004/article/11349-eng.pdf.
25
Dickinson A, Bonci L, Boyon N, and Franco JC Dietitians use and recommend dietary supplements: report of a survey Nutr J. 2012 11 14
26
Weil S, Lafferty L, Keim K, Sowa D, and Dowling R Registered dietitian prescriptive practices in hospitals J Am Diet Assoc. 2008 108 10 1688 -92
27
Thelen B, Byham-Gray L, Touger-Decker R, O'Sullivan Maillet J, and Khan H Survey of current job functions of renal dietitians J Ren Nutr. 2009 19 6 450 -61
28
Zelig R, Byham-Gray L, Touger-Decker R, Parrott J, and Rigassio-Radler D Impact for continuing education. Applying the Nutrition Care Process and Model and the International Dietetics and Nutrition Terminology for dietitians in long-term care Top Clin Nutr. 2011 26 3 268 -80
29
Stark CM, Graham-Kiefer ML, Devine CM, Dollahite JS, and Olson CM Online course increases nutrition professionals’ knowledge, skills, and self-efficacy in using an ecological approach to prevent childhood obesity J Nutr Educ Behav. 2011 43 5 316 -22
30
Zelig R. The impact of an educational intervention for continuing education on applying the nutrition care process and model and the international dietetics and nutrition terminology for registered dietitians practicing in the area of long term care (unpublished doctoral thesis, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey – School of Health Related Professions, 2010), p. 179.
31
Burton S, Sudweeks R, Merrill P, Wood B. How to prepare better multiple-choice test items: guidelines for university faculty; 1991 [cited 2013 Oct 23]. Available from: http://testing.byu.edu/info/handbooks/betteritems.pdf.

Information & Authors

Information

Published In

cover image Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research
Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research
Volume 75Number 03September 2014
Pages: 111 - 117

History

Version of record online: 15 August 2014

Authors

Affiliations

Liz da Silva, MS, RD
Fraser Health Authority, Surrey, BC
Food Nutrition and Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
Rebecca Brody, PhD, RD
Department of Nutritional Sciences, School of Health Related Professions, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, NJ
Laura Byham-Gray, PhD, RD
Department of Nutritional Sciences, School of Health Related Professions, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, NJ
J. Scott Parrott, PhD
Department of Nutritional Sciences, School of Health Related Professions, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, NJ

Metrics & Citations

Metrics

Other Metrics

Citations

Cite As

Export Citations

If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.

There are no citations for this item

View Options

Login options

Check if you access through your login credentials or your institution to get full access on this article.

Subscribe

Click on the button below to subscribe to Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research

Purchase options

Purchase this article to get full access to it.

Restore your content access

Enter your email address to restore your content access:

Note: This functionality works only for purchases done as a guest. If you already have an account, log in to access the content to which you are entitled.

View options

PDF

View PDF

Full Text

View Full Text

Media

Media

Other

Tables

Share Options

Share

Share the article link

Share on social media