Impact of malnutrition management e-learning module on GPs' knowledge: a pilot study.

Area of Science:

• Gerontology and Primary Care Medicine
• Nutritional Science and Public Health
• Medical Education and E-learning

Background:

• Malnutrition is frequently underdiagnosed in primary care settings.
• General practitioners (GPs) are crucial for identifying and managing protein-energy malnutrition in at-risk older adults.
• GPs often report insufficient knowledge and confidence in diagnosing and treating malnutrition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of a tailored online educational module on improving GPs' knowledge of malnutrition.
• To evaluate the impact of the module on GPs' ability to manage malnutrition in clinical practice.

Main Methods:

• A prospective pilot study involving 23 GPs and 8 GP trainees in Ireland.
• Participants completed an online module covering malnutrition definition, identification, dietary advice, and nutritional supplements.
• Knowledge was assessed via multiple-choice questionnaires (MCQs) pre-module, post-module, and 6 weeks later. Case studies evaluated management skills.

Main Results:

• 97% of GPs showed improved MCQ scores post-training (25% increase, P<0.001), particularly in identifying malnutrition (47% increase, P<0.001).
• Knowledge gains were retained at 6 weeks, with sustained improvements in malnutrition identification (40% increase, P<0.001).
• Malnutrition risk assessment accuracy improved from 76% to 88%, and appropriate management improved for 47% of GPs.

Conclusions:

• The e-learning module effectively enhanced GPs' malnutrition knowledge and management skills.
• Short-term knowledge retention was good, suggesting potential for online nutrition education to improve GP care.
• Further development of evidence-based online nutrition education is recommended to support GPs in managing malnutrition.