Evaluating Nursing and Dietetics Students Regarding Nutrition, Non-Communicable Diseases, and Integrated Healthcare:...

The prevalence of non-communicable diseases is high globally and in the Americas. This study aimed to evaluate nursing and dietetics students from the Americas with a survey about non-communicable diseases and the use of both conventional and lifestyle healthcare approaches to address these conditions. It also sought to identify specific demographic, academic, and psychographic characteristics that influence students' overall survey response outcomes. In a cross-sectional multi-center study design, an electronic questionnaire was developed with specific demographics along with objective and psychographic parameters related to non-communicable diseases and integrated healthcare approaches. It was pilot-tested and utilized to survey a convenience sample of targeted students from 3 universities in the United States of America and the Caribbean region, including extension campus sites. Responses from 298 students were coded, scored, and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, Kruskal-Wallis tests, Dunn-Bonferroni Multiple Comparisons post hoc tests, and Binary Logistic Regression analysis. Most respondents were female undergraduate nursing majors aged 20 to 24. Dietetics majors, graduate/postgraduate students, Hispanics, and students enrolled at specific campus sites, obtained significantly higher total survey scores than others. High total scores were significantly influenced by knowledge and psychographic characteristics. Response outcomes were significantly influenced by students' specific healthcare discipline, ethnicity, the availability of lifestyle-inclusive graduate or post-graduate curricula, the strength of undergraduate training programs, and enrollment at campuses in specific geographical locations. Nutrition and health-related knowledge along with healthcare perception, perspective, and practice parameters, contributed significantly to survey responses in favor of integrated lifestyle and conventional healthcare approaches.