Enhancing Nutrition Care in Primary Healthcare: Exploring Practices, Barriers, and Multidisciplinary Solutions in Ireland

Ebipade Juliet Eyemienbai, Danielle Logue, Gemma McMonagle, Rónán Doherty, Lisa Ryan and Laura Keaver ()
Additional contact information
Ebipade Juliet Eyemienbai: Department of Health and Nutritional Science, Atlantic Technological University, F91 YW50 Sligo, Ireland
Danielle Logue: Department of Health and Nutritional Science, Atlantic Technological University, F91 YW50 Sligo, Ireland
Gemma McMonagle: Department of Health and Nutritional Science, Atlantic Technological University, F91 YW50 Sligo, Ireland
Rónán Doherty: Department of Tourism and Sport, Atlantic Technological University, F92 FC93 Letterkenny, Ireland
Lisa Ryan: Department of Sport, Exercise and Nutrition, Atlantic Technological University, H91 T8NW Galway, Ireland
Laura Keaver: Department of Health and Nutritional Science, Atlantic Technological University, F91 YW50 Sligo, Ireland

IJERPH, 2025, vol. 22, issue 5, 1-17

Abstract: Good nutrition promotes a healthy population and mitigates the risk of disease. Integrating nutrition care in the primary healthcare system is considered an essential plan of action to manage poor nutritional status in the population. The role of primary healthcare professionals (HCPs) in the delivery of nutrition care is especially crucial due to a current lack of dietitians and dietary support in the primary care setting in Ireland. This qualitative research explored the current practice, barriers, facilitators, and feasible solutions proposed to optimize the provision of nutrition care by primary HCPs. Twenty semi-structured interviews (pharmacists (n = 14), dietitians (n = 3), a physiotherapist (n = 1), a speech and language therapist (n = 1), and a healthcare assistant (n = 1) were conducted. Six themes were derived from the data: current practice of nutrition care in primary care, perceived role, barriers and facilitators, the importance of a multidisciplinary patient-centred approach, training needs and preferences, and addressing barriers. Participants acknowledged the importance of nutrition care in clinical practice, the principal role of the dietitian as part of the multidisciplinary team, and the essential clinical competencies and nutrition training models that may facilitate the provision of nutrition care in primary practice. A paradigm shift to a multidisciplinary care model that prioritises the integration of nutrition care into primary care practice to ensure optimal dietary counselling is afforded to patients is essential.

Keywords: dietary counselling; multidisciplinary team; nutrition care; barriers and facilitators; primary healthcare professionals; perceived role; training needs (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/22/5/771/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/22/5/771/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:22:y:2025:i:5:p:771-:d:1655000

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().