Individual, Family, and Community Education ETDs

Publication Date

1-30-2013

Abstract

Objective: To identify which enteral nutrition (EN) formulations are currently recommended in the acute care setting by registered dietitians (RDs) in New Mexico for patients with active Crohn’s Disease (CD) and to compare these recommended formulations to the ASPEN and ESPEN guidelines. Methods: The link to an electronic survey was e-mailed to 109 potentially eligible RDs employed at acute care facilities in New Mexico during the spring of 2011. E-mail addresses were obtained from the Commission on Dietetic Registration. Descriptive statistics, Fisher’s exact, Pearson’s χ2 and Cramer’s V tests (SPSS; version 21) were used to analyze relationships between variables. Results: Twenty-three participants fit the inclusion criteria and completed the survey (42.6% response rate). All eligible participants were 26 to 64 years of age, 82.6% were females, 91.3% were Caucasian, 56.5% worked at an urban location, 69.6% had been practicing dietetics for more than 15 years and 56.5% worked solely with adult patients. Seventy-four percent of RDs reported using semi-elemental and elemental EN formulations. ASPEN (26%), ESPEN (22%) and AND NCM (22%) guidelines were the most commonly reported guidelines used by RDs. RDs employed at a rural locations (26.1%) were more likely to report access challenges (p = .025). Practicing dietetics for less than 15 years (34.8%) was statistically associated with the use of ESPEN guidelines (p = .016). RDs that reported using ASPEN and ESPEN guidelines (40%) did not necessarily recommend polymeric EN formulations for patients with active CD (p = .382). RDs that reported using ASPEN guidelines (67%) were more likely to report using polymeric EN formulations (p = .025). Conclusion: RDs employed at acute care facilities in New Mexico generally recommend semi-elemental and elemental EN formulations for patients with active CD, even though the ASPEN and ESPEN guidelines recommend the use of polymeric EN formulations. This study demonstrated that access issues, limited available research and physician resistance to the use of EN may be factors associated with decreased use of EN in patients with active CD. Further research on the use of EN in patients with active CD should be conducted, so that evidence-based guidelines can be developed.

Keywords

Crohn's disease--Diet therapy--New Mexico., Crohn's disease--Alternative treatment--New Mexico.

Document Type

Thesis

Language

English

Degree Name

Nutrition

Level of Degree

Masters

Department Name

Individual, Family, and Community Education

First Committee Member (Chair)

Cerami, Jean

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