Objective: To investigate nutritional knowledge, attitude and practices among primary care physicians in the Taiwan area.
Method: A closed-end questionnaire containing 26 knowledge questions, 12 attitude statements and 12 practice statements was mailed to physicians on the mailing list of the National Health Administration (NHA).
Results: The data reported are based on the responses of 27% of the total 1210 primary care physicians in the Taiwan area. Physicians answered 59% of the total knowledge questions correctly, with a tendency to score higher on general knowledge than clinical nutrition. The majority of physicians tended to agree with the positive-attitude statements and disagree with the negative-attitude statements. The performance of physicians regarding personal practices was less than that for job-related practices.
Conclusions: This nationwide survey of nutrition-related knowledge and practices demonstrates the need for nutrition education for physicians. The questionnaire may be a useful instrument for future educational strategies in Taiwan.
PIP: A questionnaire completed by 331 primary health care physicians in Taiwan revealed deficiencies in nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Questionnaires were sent to all 1210 physicians on the mailing list of the National Health Administration; the response rate was 27%. Physicians answered 59% of the 26 knowledge-related questions correctly. The highest proportion of correct responses was obtained for questions related to nutrient functions and nutrition during pregnancy (both 70.6%), while the lowest was recorded for the item concerning nutritional assessment (42%). Overall, physicians considered nutrition to be important in their personal and clinical practice. However, only 78% expressed agreement with the statement that nutrition consultation should be a part of health care. Nutrition knowledge was higher among female physicians, those under 35 years of age, and non-smokers. Finally, there was a significant correlation between nutrition knowledge and attitudes. Although this study is limited by the poor response rate, the results indicate a need for improvements in the basic nutritional knowledge and practices of primary care physicians in Taiwan.