Thesis (MNutr (Interdisciplinary Health Sciences. Human Nutrition))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The inclusion of nutrition in the national syllabus for health and skincare therapists indicates
the realisation of its importance within this industry. Health and skincare therapists should be
able to observe any adverse skin condition as a result of a dysfunctional homeostatic
relationship between the skin and internal body systems.
The aim of this study was to assess the nutritional knowledge, attitude and practices of health
and skincare therapists working in accredited clinics in South Africa.
This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study using both quantitative and qualitative data
collection methods. Two hundred and forty-five questionnaires were sent to 54 SAAHSP
accredited clinics around South Africa. Data analysis was performed using the 73 completed
questionnaires, representing a response rate of 29.8%. A further 22 therapists participated in
focus group discussions and 7 experts in the field of nutrition and skincare acted as the expert
panel and participated in in-depth interviews.
A self-administered questionnaire on knowledge, attitude and practices was developed,
based on the national syllabus. The 56-item questionnaire consisted of 10 demographic
questions, 30 nutrition knowledge questions (selected by the expert panel from a pool of 96
questions), 10 attitude statements and 6 practice questions.
The questionnaires were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The mean
total knowledge score of the respondents was 64.4% (SD 0.11) indicating a level of
knowledge above the required pass percentage of 60% for a SAAHSP qualification.
Therapists with a CIDESCO qualification had a statistically significant higher total knowledge
score. The mean score for the therapists’ nutritional knowledge related to skincare was
47.5%, but their attitudes and their ability to advise clients about nutrition were mostly
positive, with at least 61% and 69% of the therapists respectively agreeing with the
statements. Fifty-six therapists (77%) felt that more intense theoretical nutrition training was
needed and 83.3% agreed that more intense practical application of nutritional knowledge is
needed at health and skincare institutes. Consistent with the majority’s opinion (82%) that nutritional counseling should form part of treatment, 59% and 63% offer nutritional counseling
during body and facial treatment respectively. Therapists gain their nutritional knowledge
predominantly from newspapers and magazines.
The themes highlighted during the focus group discussions included the influence of training
institutions on nutritional knowledge, the importance of client consultation, but the lack of time
to perform these and the need for educational opportunities in the professional industry.
During the in-depth interviews, the experts highlighted the purpose of nutrition in the industry,
nutritional responsibility, training and counseling of therapists as well as the SAAHSP
syllabus.
Therapists’ understanding of the scientific functioning of nutrients and their nutritional
knowledge regarding skincare is a cause for concern. Their lack of confidence in providing
clients with nutritional advice, especially regarding skincare; despite their perception that they
have sufficient knowledge in this regard, reveals their inability to apply nutritional knowledge
in practice. Recommendations to governing bodies and educators responsible for the
development and implementation of the national syllabus are made. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die opname van voeding in die nasionale sillabus vir gesondheids- en velsorgterapeute dui
op die bewuswording van waarde daarvan in die industrie. Gesondheids- en
velsorgterapeute behoort enige ongunstige veltoestand as ‘n nagevolg van gebrekkige
homeostatiese verhoudings tussen die vel en interne liggaamssisteme, te identifiseer.
Die doel van hierdie studie was om die kennis van voeding, houdings en praktyke van
gesondheids- en velsorgterapeute werksaam in geakkrediteerde klinieke in Suid Afrika, te
assesseer.
Hierdie was ‘n dwarsprofiel, beskrywende studie wat beide kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe data
insamelingsmetodes gebruik het. Twee honderd vyf-en-veertig vraelyste is na 54 SAAHSP
geakkrediteerde klinieke in Suid Afrika gestuur. Die 73 voltooide vraelyste, wat ‘n
reaksiekoers van 29.8% verteenwoordig, is vir data- analise gebruik. ‘n Verdere 22 terapeute
het aan fokusgroep besprekings deelgeneem en 7 kenners op die gebied van voeding en
velsorg het as die spesialis paneel opgetree en aan ‘n in-diepte onderhoude deelgeneem.
‘n Self geadministreerde kennis, houding en praktyk vraelys is op grond van die nasionale
sillabus ontwikkel. Die 56-item vraelys het uit 10 demografiese vrae, 30 voedingkennis vrae
(wat deur die spesialis paneel vanuit ‘n poel van 96 vrae uitgekies is), 10 houdingstellings en
6 praktyk vrae bestaan.
Beskrywende sowel as afleibare statistiek is vir die analise van vraelyste gebruik. Die
gemiddelde totale kennistelling van die respondente was 64.4% (SD 0.11), wat ‘n kennisvlak
bo die verwagte slaagpersentasie van 60% vir ‘n SAAHSP kwalifikasie aandui. Terapeute
wat ‘n CIDESCO kwalifikasie verwerf het, het statisties ‘n beduidende hoër totale kennistelling
verwerf. Die terapeute se gemiddelde kennistelling aangaande velsorg was 47.5%, maar hul
houdings en vermoë om kliënte rakende voeding te adviseer was meestal positief met
onderskeidelik 61% en 69% van terapeute wat met die stellings saamgestem het. Ses-envyftig
terapeute (77%) was van mening dat meer intense teoretiese opleiding nodig is en
83.3% het saamgestem dat meer intense praktiese toepassing van voedingskennis by gesondheid- en velsorginstansies nodig is. Konsekwent met die meerderheid (82%) se opinie
dat voedingsraadgewing deel van behandelings moet uitmaak, bied 59% en 63%
voedingsraadgewing tydens liggaam- en gesigbehandelings aan. Terapeute bekom hul
voedingkennis hoofsaaklik van koerante en tydskrifte.
Temas wat tydens fokusgroepbesprekings beklemtoon is, het die invloed van
opleidingsinstansies op die voedingkennis, die belangrikheid van kliënte konsultasies, maar
die gebrek aan tyd om dit uit te voer én die behoefte aan opvoedkundige geleenthede in die
professionele industrie, ingesluit. Tydens die in-diepte onderhoude het die spesialiste die
doel van voeding in die industrie, terapeute se verantwoordelikheid, opleiding en raadgewing
ten opsigte van voeding, sowel as die SAAHSP sillabus beklemtoon.
Terapeute se begrip van die wetenskaplike funksionering van nutriënte en hul voedingkennis
ten opsigte van velsorg is ‘n bron van kommer. Hul gebrek aan vertroue tydens die
verskaffing van voedingsadvies, spesifiek aangaande velsorg; ondanks hul persepsie dat hul
voldoende kennis in die verband het, openbaar hul onvermoë om voedingkennis in die
praktyk aan te wend. Aanbevelings vir die beheerliggame en opvoeders veranwoordelik vir
die ontwikkeling en implementering van die nasionale sillabus, word gemaak.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/4381 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Rademeyer, Catharina Elizabeth |
| Contributors | Marais, Debbie, Visser, Janicke, Roth, Catharina Elizabeth, University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Health Sciences. Dept. of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences. Human Nutrition. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 128 p. |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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