Assessing quality of a worksite health promotion programme from participants’ views: findings from a qualitative study in Malaysia

Background An assessment of the process and outcomes of a health promotion programme is necessary for the continuous improvement of a programme. Objective To explore the participants’ perceptions of the quality and effectiveness of the ‘Love Your Heart Programme’. Design A qualitative study using semi‐structured interviews with a purposive sample of participants of the ‘Love Your Heart’ programme. Interviews were based on an interview guide that grouped questions into four main subgroups: structure, process, immediate outcomes and impact. The interviews were audio‐recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using the principles of grounded theory. Results A total of 17 interviews were conducted. The participants were satisfied with the structural aspects of the programme. Different opinions arose regarding the ideal frequency and duration of the programme. The content of the seminars was thought to be too general. There was also a lack of interest in the ‘Road to a Healthy Heart’ booklet. All of the respondents had positive opinions about the communication skills and attitude of the health educator. The potential advantages and disadvantages of participating in the programme were discussed. Finally, the respondents expressed their satisfaction with the programme and the impact it had on them. Discussion and conclusions In general, the participants who were interviewed held the programme, and the health educator conducted the programme in high regard. The suggestions that were received can be used to further improve the acceptability and feasibility of the programme.     

What Do Healthcare Providers Know About Nutrition Support? A Survey of the Knowledge,Attitudes, and Practice of Pharmacists and Doctors Toward Nutrition Support in Malaysia

Background and Aims: Malnutrition is one of the health problems that can be prevented by appropriate nutrition care provided by healthcare providers. However, this practice is still lacking possibly because of the providers' inadequate knowledge. The aim of this study was to evaluate the self‐reported knowledge, attitudes, and practices of pharmacists and doctors toward nutrition support in a tertiary care hospital setting. Methods: A validated questionnaire was distributed to all the doctors and pharmacists working in a tertiary hospital in Penang, Malaysia. Seven individuals including academics, general surgeons, and pharmacists performed the face and content validity. The questionnaire was piloted using 24 healthcare providers at a different hospital. Result: Of 400 surveyed, 158 doctors and 72 pharmacists from various grades completed the questionnaire. More doctors (31.6%) than pharmacists (15.3%) reported adequate knowledge to perform patients' nutrition screening. However, in the knowledge assessment, pharmacists had a higher mean score (6.07 ± 1.77) than the doctors did (4.59 ± 1.87; P < .001), and most (70.4%) of them were grouped in the “average” score range. In addition, both pharmacists and doctors have ambivalent attitudes toward nutrition support. Only 31.3% stated that they perform nutrition screening on admission, and half of them performed nutrition assessment during hospitalization. Conclusion: Inappropriate nutrition care might be due to the lack of guidelines and insufficient knowledge among doctors and pharmacists. Special nutrition training and education for both pharmacists and doctors should be established.