The associations of palliative care experts regarding food refusal: A cross-sectional study with an open question evaluated by triangulation analysis.
INTRODUCTION:Health professionals in oncologic and palliative care settings are often faced with the problem that patients stop eating and drinking. While the causes of food refusal are very different, the result is often malnutrition, which is linked to health comorbidities and a high mortality rat...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2020-01-01
|
| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0231312 |
| _version_ | 1818583493079203840 |
|---|---|
| author | André Fringer Sabrina Stängle Daniel Büche Stefan Ch Ott Wilfried Schnepp |
| author_facet | André Fringer Sabrina Stängle Daniel Büche Stefan Ch Ott Wilfried Schnepp |
| author_sort | André Fringer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | INTRODUCTION:Health professionals in oncologic and palliative care settings are often faced with the problem that patients stop eating and drinking. While the causes of food refusal are very different, the result is often malnutrition, which is linked to health comorbidities and a high mortality rate. However, the professionals lack the time and knowledge to clarify the cause for each patient. What associations do health professionals have when faced with food refusal? OBJECTIVE:To investigate the associations that health professionals in oncological and palliative settings have about denied eating behavior. METHODS:A cross-sectional study, starting with an open question focusing professionals' associations regarding food refusal. The results were inductively analyzed, whereby generic categories were developed. Subsequently, the categories were transformed into quantitative data to calculate the relationships between the categories. RESULTS:A total of 350 out of 2000 participants completed the survey, resulting in a response rate of 17.5%. Food refusal is primarily associated with physical and ethical aspects and with end-of-life. Half of the participants frequently find that patients refuse to eat. The attitudes show that the autonomy of the patient is the highest good and is to be respected. Even in the case of patients with limited decision-making capacity, the refusal to eat is acceptable. CONCLUSION:Clarifying the cause of food refusal requires a great deal of knowledge and is strongly influenced by the associations of health professionals. While the associations have very negative connotations, information and training is needed to make professionals aware of this and to change their associations. With this knowledge and in an interprofessional cooperation, mis-labelling of patient settings can be avoided and fears can be reduced. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T08:06:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-db05a5ca63a7453a96388998982ba2e0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T08:06:09Z |
| publishDate | 2020-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-db05a5ca63a7453a96388998982ba2e02022-12-21T22:38:28ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032020-01-01154e023131210.1371/journal.pone.0231312The associations of palliative care experts regarding food refusal: A cross-sectional study with an open question evaluated by triangulation analysis.André FringerSabrina StängleDaniel BücheStefan Ch OttWilfried SchneppINTRODUCTION:Health professionals in oncologic and palliative care settings are often faced with the problem that patients stop eating and drinking. While the causes of food refusal are very different, the result is often malnutrition, which is linked to health comorbidities and a high mortality rate. However, the professionals lack the time and knowledge to clarify the cause for each patient. What associations do health professionals have when faced with food refusal? OBJECTIVE:To investigate the associations that health professionals in oncological and palliative settings have about denied eating behavior. METHODS:A cross-sectional study, starting with an open question focusing professionals' associations regarding food refusal. The results were inductively analyzed, whereby generic categories were developed. Subsequently, the categories were transformed into quantitative data to calculate the relationships between the categories. RESULTS:A total of 350 out of 2000 participants completed the survey, resulting in a response rate of 17.5%. Food refusal is primarily associated with physical and ethical aspects and with end-of-life. Half of the participants frequently find that patients refuse to eat. The attitudes show that the autonomy of the patient is the highest good and is to be respected. Even in the case of patients with limited decision-making capacity, the refusal to eat is acceptable. CONCLUSION:Clarifying the cause of food refusal requires a great deal of knowledge and is strongly influenced by the associations of health professionals. While the associations have very negative connotations, information and training is needed to make professionals aware of this and to change their associations. With this knowledge and in an interprofessional cooperation, mis-labelling of patient settings can be avoided and fears can be reduced.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0231312 |
| spellingShingle | André Fringer Sabrina Stängle Daniel Büche Stefan Ch Ott Wilfried Schnepp The associations of palliative care experts regarding food refusal: A cross-sectional study with an open question evaluated by triangulation analysis. PLoS ONE |
| title | The associations of palliative care experts regarding food refusal: A cross-sectional study with an open question evaluated by triangulation analysis. |
| title_full | The associations of palliative care experts regarding food refusal: A cross-sectional study with an open question evaluated by triangulation analysis. |
| title_fullStr | The associations of palliative care experts regarding food refusal: A cross-sectional study with an open question evaluated by triangulation analysis. |
| title_full_unstemmed | The associations of palliative care experts regarding food refusal: A cross-sectional study with an open question evaluated by triangulation analysis. |
| title_short | The associations of palliative care experts regarding food refusal: A cross-sectional study with an open question evaluated by triangulation analysis. |
| title_sort | associations of palliative care experts regarding food refusal a cross sectional study with an open question evaluated by triangulation analysis |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0231312 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT andrefringer theassociationsofpalliativecareexpertsregardingfoodrefusalacrosssectionalstudywithanopenquestionevaluatedbytriangulationanalysis AT sabrinastangle theassociationsofpalliativecareexpertsregardingfoodrefusalacrosssectionalstudywithanopenquestionevaluatedbytriangulationanalysis AT danielbuche theassociationsofpalliativecareexpertsregardingfoodrefusalacrosssectionalstudywithanopenquestionevaluatedbytriangulationanalysis AT stefanchott theassociationsofpalliativecareexpertsregardingfoodrefusalacrosssectionalstudywithanopenquestionevaluatedbytriangulationanalysis AT wilfriedschnepp theassociationsofpalliativecareexpertsregardingfoodrefusalacrosssectionalstudywithanopenquestionevaluatedbytriangulationanalysis AT andrefringer associationsofpalliativecareexpertsregardingfoodrefusalacrosssectionalstudywithanopenquestionevaluatedbytriangulationanalysis AT sabrinastangle associationsofpalliativecareexpertsregardingfoodrefusalacrosssectionalstudywithanopenquestionevaluatedbytriangulationanalysis AT danielbuche associationsofpalliativecareexpertsregardingfoodrefusalacrosssectionalstudywithanopenquestionevaluatedbytriangulationanalysis AT stefanchott associationsofpalliativecareexpertsregardingfoodrefusalacrosssectionalstudywithanopenquestionevaluatedbytriangulationanalysis AT wilfriedschnepp associationsofpalliativecareexpertsregardingfoodrefusalacrosssectionalstudywithanopenquestionevaluatedbytriangulationanalysis |