School of Nursing and Midwifery, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Department of Nursing and Midwifery, Presbyterian University College, Asante Akyem, Agogo, Ghana.
PLoS One. 2022 Mar 23;17(3):e0265608. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0265608. eCollection 2022.
Nutritional management decreases and/or prevents the complications and deaths associated with diabetes mellitus. However, the majority of patients living with diabetes do not engage in optimal nutritional management of diabetes because they see it as the most difficult aspect of managing the condition. This study aimed to explore and describe the practices and skills on nutritional management of diabetes mellitus among patients living with diabetes attending a Ghanaian hospital.
This study employed an exploratory, descriptive qualitative research design. Fifteen participants were recruited using purposive sampling, and interviewed with a semi-structured interview guide. Content analysis was performed on the data gathered, following which three main themes emerged.
More than two-thirds of the participants of this study had adequate meal planning skills, ate the right quantity of foods, engaged in healthy eating habits, and consumed healthy sources of carbohydrates, fats and protein when eating. However, more than half of the participants had insufficient knowledge and skills in the reading and usage of food labels.
The participants of this study largely engaged in optimal nutritional management of diabetes due to their healthy dietary practices and preferences. It is recommended that health care professionals in Ghana find practical and robust ways to factor the reading and usage of food labels into the care and management of patients with diabetes.
营养管理可以减少和/或预防与糖尿病相关的并发症和死亡。然而，大多数患有糖尿病的患者并没有进行最佳的糖尿病营养管理，因为他们认为这是管理疾病最困难的方面。本研究旨在探讨和描述加纳一家医院的糖尿病患者的糖尿病营养管理实践和技能。
本研究采用了探索性、描述性的定性研究设计。使用目的抽样法招募了 15 名参与者，并使用半结构化访谈指南对他们进行了访谈。对收集到的数据进行了内容分析，随后出现了三个主要主题。
本研究中超过三分之二的参与者有足够的膳食计划技能，吃适量的食物，养成健康的饮食习惯，在进食时摄入健康的碳水化合物、脂肪和蛋白质来源。然而，超过一半的参与者在阅读和使用食物标签方面的知识和技能不足。
由于参与者的健康饮食行为和偏好，他们在很大程度上进行了最佳的糖尿病营养管理。建议加纳的医疗保健专业人员找到实用且稳健的方法，将阅读和使用食物标签纳入糖尿病患者的护理和管理中。
