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Lookup NU author(s): Colette Kirk, Professor Mark PearceORCiD, Professor John Mathers, Dr Nicholas Thompson, Professor David Jones
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
© 2022 The Authors. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Dietetic Association.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.
Author(s): Kirk C, Pearce MS, Mathers JC, Thompson NP, Gemmell L, Jones DE
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics
Year: 2023
Volume: 36
Issue: 3
Pages: 687-696
Print publication date: 01/06/2023
Online publication date: 14/10/2022
Acceptance date: 20/09/2022
Date deposited: 03/07/2023
ISSN (print): 0952-3871
ISSN (electronic): 1365-277X
Publisher: John Wiley and Sons Inc
URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/jhn.13103
DOI: 10.1111/jhn.13103
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