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. 2024 Oct 14;16(20):3479.
doi: 10.3390/nu16203479.

Factors Influencing Meal Provision and Dietary Support Behaviour of Caregivers of People with Chronic Kidney Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study

Georgina Lockwood  1 , Lucimay Davey  2 , Catherine McFarlane  1 , Nicholas A Gray  2   3   4 , Hattie H Wright  2   4
Affiliations

Factors Influencing Meal Provision and Dietary Support Behaviour of Caregivers of People with Chronic Kidney Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study

Georgina Lockwood et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Background/objectives: Caregivers play an important role in supporting care recipients to navigate their health needs, including adherence to dietary recommendations, which are complex and multifaceted. This study aims to (i) describe the nutrition knowledge of caregivers of people with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and (ii) explore caregivers' perceptions of their role in providing healthy meals and nutrition support for care recipients.

Methods: A cross-sectional study design employed a multi-strategy research approach. Caregivers (n = 78) of people with stage 1-5 CKD or post-transplant were recruited from a single centre. Their nutrition knowledge was assessed quantitatively with the revised General Nutrition Knowledge questionnaire. Theory-informed semi-structured interviews of a sub-sample (n = 12) qualitatively explored caregiver perceptions.

Results: Most caregivers were female (75.6%) and cared for a male care recipient (87%; aged 74 (66; 80) yrs.). The caregivers (75.6%) provided a meal ≥6 times/week to their care recipient and had moderate nutrition knowledge (66.1 (60.5; 73.9)%). Four themes emerged describing the caregivers' perceptions of meal provision and nutrition support, including the following: (i) food literacy skills are valued; (ii) social support is important; (iii) caregivers' sense of social responsibility; and (iv) the management of complex and multifaceted dietary needs.

Conclusions: The caregivers had moderate nutrition knowledge; they wanted to provide healthy meals and support to their care recipients to adhere to dietary recommendations. Targeted, co-designed nutrition education programs for caregivers may enhance nutrition care delivery to people with CKD.

Keywords: diet therapy; dietary adherence; family caregiver; food literacy; meal provision; nutrition knowledge.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Recruitment procedure for final sample of included caregivers.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Factors influencing caregivers’ meal provision and dietary support behaviour.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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