Dietary counseling of hypercholesterolemic patients by internal medicine residents

To assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of internal medicine residents concerning dietary counseling for hypercholesterolemic patients.

Cross-sectional, self-administered questionnaire survey.

Survey conducted August 1989 in seven internal medicine residency programs in four southeastern and middle Atlantic states.

All 130 internal medicine residents who were actively participating in outpatient continuity clinic.

None.

Only 32% of the residents felt prepared to provide effective dietary counseling, and only 25% felt successful in helping patients change their diets. Residents had good scientific knowledge, but the degree of practical knowledge about dietary facts varied. Residents reported giving dietary counseling to 58% of their hypercholesterolemic patients and educational materials to only 35%. Residents who felt more self-confident and prepared to counsel reported more frequent use of effective behavior modification techniques in counseling. Forty-three percent of residents had received no training in dietary counseling skills during medical school or residency.

Internal medicine residents know much more about the rationale for treatment for hypercholesterolemia than about the practical aspects of dietary therapy, and they feel ineffective and ill-prepared to provide dietary counseling to patients.