The Interrelationships Of Nutrition Knowledge, Attitudes, Health Locus-of-control And Dietary Practices.

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the nutrition education components of a nursing curriculum to determine if differences existed in the nutrition knowledge, dietary practices, attitudes toward the importance of nutrition, multidimensional health locus of control and health values of students at various points in the curriculum. The population for this study consisted of full-time female nursing students at an urban liberal arts college. This research used a survey-type design. Data collection instruments included a personal information sheet, nutrition knowledge test, attitude toward the importance of nutrition scale, dietary recall, multidimensional health locus of control scales and health value scale. The students were surveyed at the beginning of the academic year. Results of the research indicated there was a trend toward significantly increased knowledge scores as students progressed through the curriculum. Mean attitude scores indicated generally favorable attitudes toward the importance of nutrition. Students reported low consumption of foods from the milk group and the fruit/vegetable group. Junior students attained a higher mean dietary score than students in any other class. The nursing students had high internal health locus of control scores as well as high health value scores. The students scored higher on an internal health locus of control scale than on two external scales. Attitude toward the importance of nutrition exhibited a significant positive correlation with both internal health locus of control in interaction with health value and dietary behavior for the entire population. Nutrition knowledge and dietary behavior showed a significant positive correlation for senior nursing students and the entire population. The findings of this study indicate that in order to positively influence dietary practices, the curriculum should focus on improving attitudes toward the importance of nutrition as well as increasing knowledge. Stressing internality or the belief that an individual's behavior can influence his health may also influence dietary behavior. Suggestions for curriculum improvement included addition of nutrition education components for upperclassmen, introduction of a competency-based evaluation system, and inclusion of an ongoing dietary self-evaluation project.PhDEducationHealth educationUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/127984/2/8702841.pd