Class
Article
College
College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences
Department
English Department
Faculty Mentor
Katie Brown
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Abstract
Background: The dietetic internship is a rigorous supervised practice experience that all future registered dietitians must complete. Research suggests that environmental and social factors may affect dietary choices. No studies have been done to evaluate if the rigorous internship experience affects interns’ dietary practices. Objective: The objective of this focus group research study was to gather opinions from various dietetic interns to understand what factors of the internship experience, if any, affected interns’ dietary habits and preferences. It was hypothesized that environmental and social factors from the dietetic internship would impact interns’ dietary habits. Design: Qualitative data was collected via seven virtual focus group sessions in which trained moderators asked a series of controlled questions to ensure consistency among the group sessions. Participants/Setting: Candidates were recruited across the United States through an email distributed by dietetic internship directors. Participants (n=42) were currently completing or had completed their dietetic internship within six months (40% attrition rate). Interns attended one of seven virtual focus groups on Zoom to accommodate geographical location. Each focus group contained at least five participants. Analysis: Transcripts were separately coded by two to three trained researchers using methods outlined by Krueger and Casey to identify themes and subthemes. Researchers discussed any disagreements in coding and established a consensus. Results: Elements related to the dietetic internship were observed to influence dietary choices of participants. The main factors affecting interns’ dietary choices were finances, access/availability (e.g. access to a refrigerator, microwave, etc.), mental load] , and time. A minor theme identified was social influence, including the influence of preceptors. Conclusions: Finances, access/availability, mental load, time, and social influences impacted interns’ diets. Dietetic programs and preceptors should explore ways to minimize the potential negative impacts of these factors on interns’ dietary habits.
Location
Logan, UT
Start Date
4-7-2022 12:00 AM
Included in
Factors That Influence Dietetic Interns' Dietary Practices
Logan, UT
Background: The dietetic internship is a rigorous supervised practice experience that all future registered dietitians must complete. Research suggests that environmental and social factors may affect dietary choices. No studies have been done to evaluate if the rigorous internship experience affects interns’ dietary practices. Objective: The objective of this focus group research study was to gather opinions from various dietetic interns to understand what factors of the internship experience, if any, affected interns’ dietary habits and preferences. It was hypothesized that environmental and social factors from the dietetic internship would impact interns’ dietary habits. Design: Qualitative data was collected via seven virtual focus group sessions in which trained moderators asked a series of controlled questions to ensure consistency among the group sessions. Participants/Setting: Candidates were recruited across the United States through an email distributed by dietetic internship directors. Participants (n=42) were currently completing or had completed their dietetic internship within six months (40% attrition rate). Interns attended one of seven virtual focus groups on Zoom to accommodate geographical location. Each focus group contained at least five participants. Analysis: Transcripts were separately coded by two to three trained researchers using methods outlined by Krueger and Casey to identify themes and subthemes. Researchers discussed any disagreements in coding and established a consensus. Results: Elements related to the dietetic internship were observed to influence dietary choices of participants. The main factors affecting interns’ dietary choices were finances, access/availability (e.g. access to a refrigerator, microwave, etc.), mental load] , and time. A minor theme identified was social influence, including the influence of preceptors. Conclusions: Finances, access/availability, mental load, time, and social influences impacted interns’ diets. Dietetic programs and preceptors should explore ways to minimize the potential negative impacts of these factors on interns’ dietary habits.