Nutrition and integrated healthcare knowledge, attitudes, and prospective practices among healthcare students: A theoretical model survey analysis

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BackgroundThe understanding, appreciation, and application of integrated healthcare by health professional students can shape future health promotion and intervention strategies. This involves blending nutrition, lifestyle, and conventional medical approaches from educational curricula to the professional practice arena.AimsTo assess targeted healthcare students from three institutions for associations between demographics and survey parameters of knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding nutrition and integrated healthcare approaches, and to evaluate students' prospects for integrating lifestyle-based and conventional healthcare approaches, within the context of the Knowledge-Attitude-Practice (KAP) model.MethodsSurvey questions and responses based on a previously validated electronic questionnaire were used to evaluate university-level healthcare students enrolled in the nutrition (n = 92) and nursing (n = 195) disciplines. Demographic data were analyzed alongside scored items assessing knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, Kruskal-Wallis tests, Dunn-Bonferroni tests, Spearman's rho, and partial correlations were conducted.ResultsMost students demonstrated high overall knowledge (74%), attitude (93%), and practice (84%) scores. However, significant differences (p < 0.05) in the knowledge scores were observed across institutions, academic levels, and disciplines. Although relatively weak, knowledge had a significant and positive relationship with attitude (rho = 0.263, < 0.001), but not with practice. The strength of relationships was moderated by controlling for socio-demographic factors such as specific degree/discipline, institutional and environmental context, race, religion, and age.ConclusionThe findings of this study highlight the benefits of using KAP-based learning outcomes for healthcare training programs and demonstrate its relevance in informing tailored educational strategies and clinical interventions and policy initiatives that support integrated healthcare approaches.

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