Evaluation of nutrition knowledge and attitude among post graduate students with medical and non medical background

ABSTRACT

A demographic and attitudinal questionnaire and a knowledge test were administered to post graduate students with medical and non medical background upon entry to their first nutrition course at the High Institute of Public Health. Knowledge was assessed regarding basic principles of nutrition and nutrition application [food sources, food functions, requirements and factors affecting requirement and other nutritional information] using t-test for paired observations. results indicated that the students had a relatively low knowledge of nutrition upon entering the course, but there was a significant improvement upon completion of the course. Moreover, stepwise multiple regression analysis applied to determine the effect of different factors on initial knowledge and achievement score indicated that educational background was the most important independent variable affecting significantly students initial knowledge where students with medical background showed a higher score than those with non medical background, while prescore was the most important independent variable affecting significantly students achievement where students with low prescore showed a higher achievement score as compared to those with high prescore. Attitudes were assessed regarding the role of dietitian in the hospital, nutrition education and general nutrition using Wilcoxon matched pairs test. Attitudes were not greatly altered during the nutrition course