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- Title
Quality of life and home parenteral nutrition: a survey of UK healthcare professionals' knowledge, practice and opinions.
- Authors
Kirk, Colette; Pearce, Mark S.; Mathers, John C.; Thompson, Nicholas P.; Gemmell, Lisa; Jones, David E.
- Abstract
Background: There is increasing interest in the assessment of health‐related quality of life (QoL) in the care of patients treated with home parenteral nutrition (HPN). However, it is not known whether healthcare professionals (HCPs) have embedded QoL assessment into routine clinical practice in line with current guidelines to favour a more holistic approach to HPN care. The aim of this study was to assess knowledge, current practice and the opinions of HCPs regarding QoL in care of patients on HPN. Methods: An online survey was distributed via email to HCPs working with HPN patients throughout England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Participants were identified using a mailing list for the British Intestinal Failure Alliance, a specialist group within the British Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition. Results: The survey was completed by 67 professionals comprising 24 dietitians, 17 nurses, 14 gastroenterologists, 6 pharmacists, 5 surgeons and 1 psychologist. Of these, 54 (80%) participants agreed that the measurement of QoL is useful. In contrast, 38 (57%) of all participants, including 27 (50%) of those participants who agreed that the measurement of QoL was useful, never measured QoL. Knowledge of QoL literature was rated as poor or very poor by 27 (40%) participants. Conclusions: Despite the perceived usefulness and importance of QoL assessment, very few HCPs embed it into clinical practice. Knowledge of QoL literature and QoL tools is variable, and there is significant variability in QoL practice. This is clear in terms of the frequency of QoL assessments and heterogeneity in methodology. In contrast, there was almost unanimous agreement that the complications associated with HPN contribute to poorer QoL. There is a need for specific, evidence‐based, clinical practice guidelines detailing how to define and measure QoL in this patient population. Key points: There is significant variability in quality‐of‐life (QoL) practice for patients treated with home parenteral nutrition (HPN).Our findings suggest that very few healthcare professionals are embedding QoL assessment into clinical practice.Evidently, there appears to be a need for specific, evidence‐based, clinical practice guidelines detailing how to define and measure QoL in HPN patients.
- Subjects
IRELAND; SCOTLAND; WALES; ENGLAND; PROFESSIONS; ATTITUDES of medical personnel; HOME care services; MEDICAL protocols; SURVEYS; QUALITY of life; DESCRIPTIVE statistics; RESEARCH funding; MEDICAL practice; PARENTERAL feeding; PATIENT care; EMAIL
- Publication
Journal of Human Nutrition & Dietetics, 2023, Vol 36, Issue 3, p687
- ISSN
0952-3871
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1111/jhn.13103