Knowledge, attitudes and practices of health professionals regarding nutrition support in public hospitals of Ehlanzeni district, Mpumalanga

Abstract

Background: Effective nutrition support improves outcomes and quality of life in malnourished patients, yet hospital practices remain inconsistent. Aim: This study determined and described health professionals’ knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding nutrition support in public hospitals. Setting: The study was conducted in 13 public hospitals (10 district, 2 regional and 1 provincial) in Ehlanzeni district, Mpumalanga. Methods: A quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted among 357 randomly selected health professionals using a self-administered questionnaire. Data were analysed with descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression (Stata 13.0). Results: Only 38% knew that severe malabsorption and undernutrition with poor oral intake indicate parenteral nutrition. Few participants (7.0% strongly agreed, 11.4% agreed) felt that only dietitians are responsible for nutritional care. Although 74% reported that malnutrition was a hospital priority, only 47% screened patients for malnutrition. Education was the most consistent predictor of knowledge, attitudes and practices (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Health professionals had moderate knowledge and positive attitudes, but their practices did not align with this knowledge. Structured training, ongoing mentorship and standardised protocols are recommended to support consistent, evidence-based nutrition care using a multidisciplinary, team-based approach. Contribution: This study adds to the scarce South African data on hospital-based nutrition support by providing district-level findings from Mpumalanga and highlighting the multidisciplinary nature of nutrition support in public health.