Social representations of "non-eating" experienced by patients on exclusive enteral nutrition

In a scenario where food is absent or restricted, as in the case of enteral nutrition (EN), eating becomes an experience filled with different meanings in the hospitalization process. This study aimed to understand the social representations of "non-eating" experienced by patients receiving EN.

This was an empirical, qualitative, cross-sectional study. Hospitalized patients using EN for at least seven days and who were over 18 years of age participated in the study. The sample size was defined using the data saturation criterion. Patients were selected after an active search was conducted through the beds of a university hospital in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The instruments used were (a) a semi-structured interview script and (b) the researcher's field journal. Data analysis was based on the thematic analysis of Braun and Clark, and the theoretical foundation was supported by the theory of social representations.

Nine patients were interviewed and four thematic categories were identified: (1) Perceptions related to the body in the experience of enteral nutrition, (2) The place of hunger and cravings in the body, (3) The price of healing, and (4) Communication with the team. The results indicate an experience largely associated with physical sensations, recognized by patients as aversive, with a tendency to a better adaptation to EN with longer use of the tube. Patients did not perceive physical hunger while the presence of "wanting" or "craving for" food, that is, the desire to taste and experience food, was reported by all, equating it to the experience of hunger. The main difficulties experienced by patients involve the absence or loss of communication with the health team and the reduction of autonomy, both in terms of mobility and the power of participation and decision-making regarding the treatment.

The experience of patients in EN is complex and permeated by several difficulties, such as the lack of pleasure and symbolism associated with food and eating. On the other hand, even in the face of adversity, those patients undergo treatment, to seek a "cure" for their condition. It is essential to highlight the lack of communication on the part of the health team as an important difficulty listed by the patients. These results are fundamental for the health teams to review and reconstruct the management related to the care of patients to improve their well-being.