Nutrition Education in Institutions Caring for Tuberculous Patients

¹ Nutrition Consultant, Tuberculosis Institute of Chicago and Cook County.
² Medical Consultant, Tuberculosis Institute of Chicago and Cook County.

A two page questionnaire was sent to 452 tuberculosis hospitals and sanatoria in the United States in order to secure information as to the prevalence of nutrition education programs for patients.

Returns were received from 55.53 per cent of the hospitals of which there were 213 completely filled questionnaires which were used in evaluating nutrition activities.

Of these 213 hospitals approximately one third utilized available opportunities for presenting nutrition information to patients, with only 27.2 per cent taking dietary histories upon admittance, 39.4 per cent keeping dietary records during hospitalization and 39.4 per cent providing organized nutrition instruction.

The individual conference method of teaching was reported as being the most commonly employed by all hospitals. Visual aids appeared not to be in popular use.

Nutrition materials prepared and distributed by such agencies as the United States Department of Rgriculture, Bureau of Human Nutrition and Home Economics, State Health Departments and State and Local Nutrition Associations appeared to have preference over all others.

Interest in nutrition education for tuberculous patients was evidenced by comments made by administrators and the numerous requests for assistance in initiating such programs and securing materials. Many also were desirous of seeing the results obtained from the questionnaires.

Much of the information obtained in the study has not been incorporated in this article but will probably be presented in other papers at later dates.